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Laptop hidden hacker connection

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Oblivion99

PCHF Member
Nov 21, 2023
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#1
Dear all

I have a laptop which I use as an offline backup platform

The laptop has Bluetooth and a Network card

I have deactivated both in Device Manager and in Windows settings

1.
Can a hacker somehow use the laptops Network card?
While also:
Windows has no wifi connection
Wifi is off in Windows settings
Network card is deactivated in Device Manager
No activity in Resource Monitor Network
-
If yes:
What would it require?
To modify the hardware or some kind of malware?
Does this kind of malware exist, or would it be hard to create?

2.
Can a hacker somehow use the laptops Bluetooth?
While also:
Windows has no Bluetooth connection
Bluetooth is off in Windows settings
Bluetooth is deactivated in Device Manager
-
If yes:
What would it require?
To modify the hardware or some kind of malware?
Does this kind of malware exist, or would it be hard to create?

Thank you
 
#3
if you are trying to shut off access paths into the laptop, also consider a BIOS password, a Windows password, and disabling the USB ports.

what sort of redundancy does the laptop give you?
a duplicate set of personal files, or a 2nd hardware platform if your main PC goes down?
how are you keeping the laptop updated - both Windows updates and with your files?
 
#4
Bruce said:
if you are trying to shut off access paths into the laptop, also consider a BIOS password, a Windows password, and disabling the USB ports.

what sort of redundancy does the laptop give you?
a duplicate set of personal files, or a 2nd hardware platform if your main PC goes down?
how are you keeping the laptop updated - both Windows updates and with your files?
Click to expand...
Thank you for your reply

I use the laptop as an backup of my personal files, pictures of my children, many old pictures I have taken through the years etc.
I use a USB drive to transfer them to my backup laptop. I scan the USB drive for malware before the transfer.
I just like the idea, that I have this isolated laptop where my data is backed up and totally safe, and no other than me can access it.

I believe, that I have closed of the all the "holes", by deactivating all the connections the laptop has. I could also take out the bluetooth and wifi hardware, but that is a bit excessive...

I know, that someone could just steal the laptop, clone the drive etc.
But I would just like to know, if someone could use the laptops own connections to access my backed up data, without my knowledge, and if it would be impossible og require some kind of NSA level skill.
 
#5
also remember, protection software can 'guess' as to what may be malware or they know from a predetermined list but they are usually reactive not proactive - they only find what they know to look for.
so if your main PC picks up something brand new, then you transfer that via a USB stick to the laptop, it may go undetected for days/weeks before it is found.

my point is, yes let's be alert but let's not let them rule our lives.
you'll never stop them, just control them as much as possible.
you have to trust the software in place, be that Windows level of protection, 3rd party programs you install yourself, or even manually controlling the flow of data as you are doing.
and to cover yourself, you do backups, across multiple drives, at more than one location, on a rotating basis.

personally I think you are going too far, simply turning the laptop off is all the protection you need to stop access. then, turn it on only when needing to transfer the latest files.

but can someone with the right amount of time, resources, and skill set do something - of course.
whether they care enough is something entirely different.

plus, the flip side to that, don't believe everything you see in Hollywood movies.
while potentially possible, it does not happen by a hoodie wearing, caffeine loaded energy drinking, pasty skinned Russian virgin, living in his Grandma's basement by just pressing 5 key clicks and the computer making 2 beeps. :)
 
#6
Bruce said:
but can someone with the right amount of time, resources, and skill set do something - of course.
whether they care enough is something entirely different.
Click to expand...
I assume everything is possible, also creating the type of malicious code / the malware I mention above.

I would just like to know, where on the scale we are.
From an average hacker to like NSA. If it would require tremendous resources, knowledge etc.?
 
#7
how much skill would be involved - I cannot say.
you'd have to say more than the average hacker, because if that was not the case then we would be seeing every Tom, Dick, and Harry trying his hand at it
 
#8
To answer your questions

NO

Since you have disabled the WIFI NIC and BT and the system.

There are setting that can be done on the modem and router (if there is one) that can assist with that.

There are personal steps that can and should be taken that @Bruce has mentioned.
 
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