Can a hacked computer be unhacked/put back to where it was before the hack assuming changes were made or once hacked you're stuck with it?

Hello Rosie:

Let's say you spent a LOT of money on a state of the art security system for your home, and somebody breaks in anyway.  What would you do?

excon

Depends on what type of vulnerability was exploited and what kind of maleware or operations were conducted while hacked. 

An simple example.  If you were running Linux and someone  somehow was able to access your command prompt remotely.  They  could type in certain  commands that when executed would destroy your computer and leave them unrecoverable.

You can "Restore" you computer to its configuration on the past date of your choice.  Google it.

In extremis it may need re-formatting and re-loading. Most hackers now don't seem to want to stop you using your computer, with one important exception. Mere vandalism gains them nothing except the distorted satisfaction any "ordinary" vandal presumably derives. Instead, far more profitably to them, they stealthily steal information such as your bank-account details.

The exception is an extortion racket in which the thieves encrypt all your software and data, and release it only on you paying them a hefty "ransom" to remove the encryption. 


I saw off two attempts only yesterday and today.

The first was a fake e-mail from a friend. It was the type in which the hackers use one of your contacts - a friend, relative or fellow-member of a club with a mailing-list - as carrier for a malware link. The message simply said "Hi [real name]", then gave a very long, complicated web-link. Needless to say I deleted the message immediately. I have seen another version in which the message supposedly from your friend or relative tells you he or she is stuck penny-less in Paris - please send money.

The second was the old telephone-call dodge. "Hello, my name is David " said the man with the obviously Indian accent, "and you computer has been attacked" [or "reported problems"].

I rep-lied, "Before you go any further I ought warn you I work in IT security. Goodbye", and hung up.

In Britain we have an official organisation called "Action Fraud" to which you are advised to report on-line, any telephone, internet and postal fraud attempts. Unfortunately it is long and complicated to use, and in some internet services at least you can't forward the attack as requested, although I did once manage to copy and send the e-mail's "Properties" as a text-only message; a page-full of code, though it did show the source country.