Can my PC be randomly hacked?

[springbloom]

I don't turn it off overnight and leave it sleep mode. Can it be hacked randomly? I just watched a Netflix hacker scam video and got concerned. I have never been scammed or hacked before.

 

[John Wick]

Yes. I'm scrolling through your personal collection of asian lesbian midget porn as we speak.

 

[Mr Deeds]

Yes send me 10k

 

[HEYHEY]

I don't turn it off overnight and leave it sleep mode. Can it be hacked randomly? I just watched a Netflix hacker scam video and got concerned. I have never been scammed or hacked before.

Yes it can fairly easily be hacked, same with your smart phone.

 

[Sensual Monst]

If by randomly, you mean can it be hacked overnight if it's asleep - no.

Having said that, you can get hacked by visiting less reputable sites (porn is notorious for this), opening unsolicited attachments in emails, inserting unknown USB drives into your PC or installing unscrupulous software.

Tips:

• Ensure you Anti-virus is turned on;
• Avoid visiting unsavoury sites (consider a second PC, cheap chromebook, or tablet for this). Keep your primary PC separate and "clean" and don't connect to trusted services (i.e. email / bank / GDrive / etc) from your secondary device. Think of the secondary device as your "burner"
• Keep back-ups of all important documents in the cloud
• Don't click on links in emails - no matter how convincing, the Nigerian prince is not going to give you $$$ for helping him settle your long lost 2nd Cousin's once removed Uncles daughter's grandmother's estate.

The 100% full proof way to prevent getting hacked is to unplug your PC and turn it off. As this may not be practical, then following the above and using your common sense will help reduce (but not eliminate) the probability of getting hacked.

 

[springbloom]

If by randomly, you mean can it be hacked overnight if it's asleep - no.

Having said that, you can get hacked by visiting less reputable sites (porn is notorious for this), opening unsolicited attachments in emails, inserting unknown USB drives into your PC or installing unscrupulous software.

Tips:

• Ensure you Anti-virus is turned on;
• Avoid visiting unsavoury sites (consider a second PC, cheap chromebook, or tablet for this). Keep your primary PC separate and "clean" and don't connect to trusted services (i.e. email / bank / GDrive / etc) from your secondary device. Think of the secondary device as your "burner"
• Keep back-ups of all important documents in the cloud
• Don't click on links in emails - no matter how convincing, the Nigerian prince is not going to give you $$$ for helping him settle your long lost 2nd Cousin's once removed Uncles daughter's grandmother's estate.

The 100% full proof way to prevent getting hacked is to unplug your PC and turn it off. As this may not be practical, then following the above and using your common sense will help reduce (but not eliminate) the probability of getting hacked.

Thanks, I meant hacked by someone random without having any malware or phishing. I don't go on unsavoury/porn sites, never used a usb at home, nor get more than 5 emails a month. Never any scams or spam.

The reason I was asking because I have notepad on my PC where I journal a list of "To Dos". Sometimes on my phone, I get ads on Instagram related to my "To Dos", almost as if Instagram or other entities can log my keystrokes.

 

[AndrewX]

Yes it can fairly easily be hacked, same with your smart phone.

Apparently 50% of smart phones are hacked.

I don't do banking or purchasing on my cell . On the computer I boot with a USB loaded with Lubuntu (linux) installed, no banking information stays on the computer.

 

[springbloom]

Not worried about banking. I never have more than $12 in my bank account.

 

[Indiana]

Big brother knows all.

 

[Larry.Fyne]

It's not RANDOM... for Christ's sake let's use language as it is supposed to be....

 

[JaimeWolf]

The reason I was asking because I have notepad on my PC where I journal a list of "To Dos". Sometimes on my phone, I get ads on Instagram related to my "To Dos", almost as if Instagram or other entities can log my keystrokes.

Instagram app on your phone effectively has access to everything on your phone, including search history, browser cookies, and voice/text through sister app WhatsApp and FB Messenger.

 

[JohnHenry]

The reason I was asking because I have notepad on my PC where I journal a list of "To Dos". Sometimes on my phone, I get ads on Instagram related to my "To Dos", almost as if Instagram or other entities can log my keystrokes.

Because instagram, like all the other social media sites reads your data and uses it to send you targeted advertising. It is how they make their money.

 

[rhuarc29]

Thanks, I meant hacked by someone random without having any malware or phishing. I don't go on unsavoury/porn sites, never used a usb at home, nor get more than 5 emails a month. Never any scams or spam.

Only if there's an existing vulnerability.

The reason I was asking because I have notepad on my PC where I journal a list of "To Dos". Sometimes on my phone, I get ads on Instagram related to my "To Dos", almost as if Instagram or other entities can log my keystrokes.

Do you mean literal Notepad, the software? I haven't heard that name in like 15 years! Had no idea it was actually still going. Could be because I build my own computers and don't install bloatware on them.
Hell, for all we know, when you installed it, you agreed to the keylogging in the fine print yourself so that they could sell your data to third parties for advertising purposes.

 

[springbloom]

Ya I journal in windows notepad, like to do list. Then I get ads about them on my phone on Instagram. For example, I wrote, lookup deals on Expedia for car rentals tomorrow.... Then I got an ad for Expedia on my Instagram