Do I Just Give Up or Is There a Way To Combat Hackers

[BusinessStartUpSupport]

Warning: Mini Rant + Life Story Summary - read if you like, could help you answer my question

So I run a business. and I think im gonna lose it all to hackers. For years I never bothered learning about cybersecurity, and my family business had been working fine. One day I stumbled upon Kali Linux and you can say thats when the paranoia started. Well, I went out and bought a few flashy cars, an amg, a few other sports cars and luxury vehicles. From that day forth, I guess I attracted too much attention or pissed a neighbour off, or maybe they were on my wifi for years and I just didn't know. Regardless, things have taken a turn for the worst. First Im quite young, but can think quite maturely, except for when things get outta hand and I don't know what to do, much like right now. Made some shitty friends, got my car bugged with a gps and audio device (good thing I bought a bug sniffer now smh, do I really gotta go all spy mode just to live peacefully.) But long story short, I was followed for about 2 years, never reported anything to the police and don't plan on it cause it's bound to just invite more problems. Took quite a bit of therapy to get over being cyberstalked/having privacy invaded. Now fast forward to today. Just this website gave me a mini panic attack seeing how much there is out there for "penetration testing" but we all know kids these days are using it for malicious intent. Ive installed endpoint security (trials) and several other network applications such as Kaspersky, and there are always strange random devices connecting to my internet, with random MAC addresses. I assume it's something easily doable through Kali Linux or other Linux distributions for someone who knows what they are doing. Ive tried a simple $200-$300 firewall, no luck, did find out my SmartTV had a vulnerability where malicious code could be injected remotely so I put it onto the Guest Wifi. Now I don't know what to do, whoever these people/person is has no mercy and is out for me, idk how to say it without sounding like a schizo but its true. I don't even live in a lower class neighbourhood, houses go for 1-2 million for a detached 2-3 bedroom home (love Toronto). Anyways, what is my first step, I'm investing the rest of this summer to fix this bs so I can return to peacefully running my business. My parents like to brag (which I think is insanely stupid but I can't stop them) about the business they run and I'm guessing that played a part in attracting hackers. You know when you have the gut feeling you're hacked or followed, well I've had the same neighbour literally follow me around when I go on walks etc (assuming by using iCloud to find my location), I know its just shit to mess with my head hoping it leaves mental trauma but I'm not dumbfounded. So what are my options other than informing the police, which I guarantee they'll just laugh at me if I go to them saying my internet is hacked. I've learned Kali Linux quite well, but mostly just commands, idk how Wireshark, metasploit etc work other than the fact you can inject payloads, make word lists, and essentially eventually crack your way into a wifi connection and hide your tracks. I honestly wonder how people make it from lower class or middle class to multi-millionaires, I doubt they've ever had to worry about oh did someone hack me today, probably cause they have something in place to counteract that. Whoever the attacker is, they've gone as far as making friends with my enemies from the past, there's about 20-30 people I can name that I've spotted following me or just randomly running into in public, sure its could be a coincidence but im way past that. The wifi was never changed from the default password, hilarious right, but when you're a 12 year old kid you think your parents take care of everything for you, too bad I've not self serving narcs who don't even believe a network can be hacked regardless of what videos I show them. To make it worse, I've had private information yelled out by my neighbours, sometimes literally passwords (thank god I use a password manager now), I guess thats what a loud ass AMG exhaust does to jealous full grown men, pfft smh. pathetic

Anyways lets get back to track, enough rambling.

Here is what I would appreciate to my coffin if someone can assist me with this. Where do I start, what reactive steps must I take to clean ALL computers, cause I know thats what I gotta do before installing a bunch of security. Is there a plug and play device that will just get rid of this (lol enough joking Jesus, if only). What should I do, is there something I can use in Kali Linux to protect me? I don't understand ports or NMAP, I have no clue where to start and thats what kills me. I know anything can be hacked and nothing is invincible but I gotta figure shit out. I can handle a computer, and I'm willing to spend as much as it takes to get some properly working security, with a fall safe method to ensure I'm protected, an action plan for what to do if I do encounter a similar breach in the future and basically a helping hand to maybe guide me through this. I'm willing to pay for somebody to walk me through this. I've signed up for dozens of endpoint protection, antivirus (we all know malware can be coded to be undetected, besides from my research antivirus software only scans from a list of pre-identified types of malware or virus) and other apps/softwares that promise the security I am looking for, none of them are doing any justice, I either don't hear back or I have zero knowledge how to use them. My ISP even told me "we'll be the first ones to notify you if you've ever been hacked" what a joke they expect me to believe that, I guarantee they'd be the last knowing some rich man can sue if thats what they promise, I won't mention the ISP I'm with but if you're Canadian you can probably guess who it is, luckily left Bell, those idiots have had their info breached 3 times in the past. Lol, if you can tell I got severe ADHD, back on track, what am I supposed to do. How do I disinfect these devices or even check if I have been compromised (im 100% sure I am, but for the future and/or to ward off disbelievers), and when is it right to begin implementing cybersecurity applications, which ones should I go for, how much should I be looking at to dish out on this venture. What firewall is the best, I see some for $600 and although they're expensive my mental health has no price. I don't have business insurance so that won't be able to help. There's gotta be a really easy solution but I'm no IT guy so I'm just on here as a last resort before finding an agency or some dude off Fiverr who can explain what steps I need to take. So if you made it this far you're either really bored, ready to troll me, or maybe you're a good person and you're actually willing to get me some help here. I just want my peace back, and I know there's a solution, just one thats flown over my head, I doubt Drake, celebrities, or successful business owners worry about being hacked, obv they have internet hygiene in place, but where does an upper middle class kid start (im 21 if it matters.) Please keep in mind any investment will be out of my own pocket and not my fathers as he is oblivious and things no one would ever hack him. 

Extras: I keep everything up to date, I have 10 different vpns on my computer cause clearly idk what I'm doing, and also I've got siblings with their own tech, so I need a solution that can work without me having to make them go through the psychological stress of realizing the internet has been compromised or bother them with my story, they don't deserve that and as an elder bro its my responsibility to deal with this if I have such an immature father. Currently I use TrendMicro apps and products, alongside some Kaspersky, AVG, and a few other things I cannot recall off the top of my head. I know moving is likely a good idea, and thats in the works, but that won't stop being compromised in the future or magically rid the infected devices. I would read a book, I tried cybersecurity for dummies but my attention span and panic just went through the roof instead of actually learning what this space is all about. I'm less interested in the attacks and how they happen, and more just looking for a way to protect my family, something that everyone has the right to do. If you can help me, or are willing to connect over another platform I'm more than willing, I'll even pay for support and guidance. Hopefully knowing the stuff this website sells doesn't attack anyone calling me paranoid, cause buddy the shit I've been through the last 3 years would drive anyone borderline mad. 

Is the solution a firewall? I've called companies and obviously there's ways for hackers to get past those too, and trust me the people I'm dealing with will really go that far and waste precious seconds of their life trying to sabotage the average wealth I have generated. I went to a private school for high school, so the kids are loaded, they have all the money in the world for cases of being arrested (one specific person I know has gone in 8 times and his parents paid bail each time, 4 times for cyber related attacks.) lastly you got my neighbours, who coincidentally stand outside every time I go for a smoke, or just happen to be at the plaza waiting for me every time I go somewhere. Well, I hope there's someone out there with a good heart and can see I'm struggling, I just want to be in on the secret of how to protect myself. Again please keep in mind a $1000 firewall is out of the question, I got maybe 400-600 of my own money to deal with this at the moment. Im assuming client files that have already been stolen, well they're gone, its insane my mother and father haven't been sued yet. Had my identity stolen in the past year too to make matters worse. So there we go, my life problems in one post, its starting to impact my daily life, and the stress just isn't good for me, I desperately beg for someone to help me, who knows what they're doing *sigh* I knew owning and operating a business would be hard or everyone would do it, I just never expected my father to be naive as he is and since I will be inheriting it, its time I start now and get things in order, its the least of what my duties, obligations, and responsibilities call for.

Not religious, but if you are and have the answers, god bless you, for those who aren't, I hope whatever uncontrollable force you believe in sides with you, cheers. 

TLDR: I'd request you skim through it but if you're not in the mood, long story short: run a business, zero cybersecurity, being gang stalked, have proof, devices are compromised, no I am not a schizo plz, lol this sight has enough to make anyone panic for sale. Looking for guidance on the first steps to recover from the attack, and need help finding the right cybersecurity implementation, and trust me I've done tons of research, its been months and still nothing. Being targeted my neighbours and ex-friends, started noticing issues after buying flashy cars but I'm sure anyone can be compromised in my position. What is my first step?

[digininja]

If the attackers are as good as you say, you are screwed and there is nothing you can do about it.

 

Pass all the info on to the local police and let them handle it, that is what they are there for. These are the people you want to talk to.

https://twitter.com/tps_cyber

And if you only want to spent $400-600 on a firewall, you won't be able to afford a day of any serious security persons's time, they go for way more than that.

 

[BusinessStartUpSupport]

Contacted the number, was politely told that I should contact the police directly in my neighborhood (the correct department and submit a formal complaint) mind you whilst doing exactly what I expected, laughing here ass off giving me smug answers and clowning my for using the wordsi have been hacked. It’s clear the police is not going to deploy full on anti spy gear to solve this issue which brings me to my original concern. If I deal with the cybersecurity issues, I will no longer have to worry about being followed etc. I’ve found some heavyduty firewall for800-1000 but you are right, it’s big investment, perhaps I need to get my father on board.
what’s is it you recommend, as I’ve seen similar posted to mine except I’m legit and not trying to promote some bs, just found this forum and thought someone may be kind enough to help. Do i sit and spend a few hours learning Kali Linux? Will that even do anything to offer me a long term solution? Are there any companies you recommend? From my understanding a firewall won’t disinfect compromised devices, correct me if I’m wrong. Endpoint security and things of the like interest me and seem like whati need but I can’t navigate them for shit, but if I find one that truly works I’m dedicated to learning and implementing it.   I’m sublime teens, what would be the steps to secure my technology in chronological order (I just ask a s I’ve seen you give other shit posters super fuck you’d **take it as a compliment haha and I’m curious. What do you use to secure your internet? I understand if you don’t want to share, it might just be time to get in touch with an IT specialist, now to convince my stubborn father, to add icing on the cake, he wants his Wi-Fi Password easy to remember, so his ass gets the 2.4ghz network with his easy pass, but I’m guessing that’s how the attacker is getting in. *sigh

[digininja]

If the adversary is as good as you say, spending the next six months learning Kali will get you nowhere. Imagine going up against Mike Tyson on a couple of hours or even six months of boxing training.

Did you tell the police about the bug in your car? I assume you still have it and haven't touched it too much so it still has fingerprints and things on it so you can take it to them as proof.

All a firewall does is to limit traffic flowing through it, think of it as a security guard sitting at a desk in front of an office and controlling who can come in. If he isn't told how to do his job properly, he could let anyone one in or no one. He is also only watching the front door, if your fire escapes are all wide open people will still walk in.

So if you are as badly taken over as you claim, nothing beyond a full burn to the ground and start again is going to help. New hardware, new accounts on everything with new passwords. New email addresses, I'd change bank accounts and do all the setup in person. If you don't need wifi, go hard wired on everything. New phones, get these after the new email addresses, set them up on the new accounts.

Once you've started this process, do not touch any of the old systems, accounts, or anything else again.

As for companies to help, I don't know of any in Toronto, but you'd be looking at least $1500 CAD per day for one that would be of the quality to look into this for you. And they wouldn't do single day jobs, you'd be looking at quite a few days.

 

[NoExecute]

Well..first let me say that "spending a couple of hours with Kali" is gonna get you nowhere... To really learn it, and master the tools and why / how they work, will take years.

And that 1000 dollars firewall, ain't gonna help you much either, so forget about that. It "might" work if you know how to use it, but what can you do ?

Close your wifi down, check all ports and services incomming into your network (NMap comes to mind here). Check what services are running on the machines and devices.
Take all machines offline, make a server (Linux based), backup all your important data. Get a good iso of whatever operating system you're running, and install a clean workstation, DO NOT give it internet access yet !!.

Secure your wifi, seperate it into zones, so you have cabled to the devices you use the most (Tv and so on), make a zone for workstations (cabled), and make  wifi network (this is the private network you use), and make a guest wifi BOTH with strong passwords. Do NOT give guests or familly your private WIFI password, this zone is for you and your devices only.

Make sure all incomming ports on the network is closed inbound, and zones are separated properly. Then get your workstation online and update it, install virus scanning and so on.

Change all your online account passwords, get new emails, new messenger accounts, and tell them ONLY to closest friends and family. Make one "public burner email", and one for family and friends, and one or two for signing up to online services.

Now, use wireshark on compromised devices to see if they dial home to some attack system, and check your wifi. Reinstall all workstations from clean images, virus scan the old data, (in a vm), and if clean, move them back.

In the future, keep track of your wifi, change passwords once in a while, don't click on files you're not 100% sure who's from, or what they are.
Don't give out any passwords, no matter who's asking or for whatever reason. Keep them in a backup file, on a hidden USB stick somewhere, and keep them updated.

IF your devices are remembering your private wifi password, when you're out in public, turn off the wifi network, so it doesn't scan for your hoem network, enable it only if you must use it. Use a vpn out in public, and make sure all ports on the devices are closed, and all services shut down, to minimize attack profile.

This is a good start, but it's not a 100% solution..

/NX

Edited June 14, 2022 by NoExecute
Forgot public wifi stuff