Transferbigfiles is a system allowing the sending of very large files. I thought it was secure. It isn't. The hackers got into it and somehow compromised the download mechanism. They didn't corrupt the actual files they corrupted the means my customers used to obtain the files. Since this could threaten very valuable computer hardware, I can not use this service any more.
The transferbigfiles was just one of a number of victories achieved by the hackers. Lately I've been using computers at the local libraries. My guess was that the systems would be too sophisticated to get hacked. I was wrong.
On February 25 at about 11 a.m. I was unable to log into the library computer because my account was already open. According to the library system I had last logged in the previous day. (24/2/2017 at 12:46 for 33 minutes at Chatham Library). The library system is supposed to automatically log out any user after a maximum of two hours (less if the library is busy).
Presumably the hackers got into the library system in order to access my email and other private accounts.
Richard Pemberton, who seems to be the Medway Council officer in charge of the system, contacted the softrware providers and got this report:" It sounds like the users session was stuck in the system and iCAM didn't let go of it." iCAM, he explained, is the software that manages the public access computers, wifi and printing. Mr Pemberton said this was 'the first time we have encountered this error message'.
On Tuesday I started using a home based broadband provided by TalkTalk. Although I have a firewall up and running and I've changed the modem password (which is different from the wifi password and should prevent hacking) my modem limps along at speeds that should never be seen in any built up area (slower than 95% of all connections in the UK according to an Ookla speed online speed test (http://www.speedtest.net/), see illustration.)
As I have said before, these people can not put me out of business since I can easily and cheaply buy a second hand computer and install Linux (the operating system I use). What they can do (and are doing) is drastically reduce my income. My broadband connection may be slow but clearly the day when legal damages are imposed on these criminals is coming at top speed.
