Data being stolen over Wi-Fi

Fraud victim - Mac spyware

I was recently the victim of a credit card fraud, so I'm trying to figure out whether my credit card details were stolen from my Mac.

What's the best software for spyware? I'm on Mountain Lion 10.8.3.

Here's an Activity Report screenshot, if it's any use.

I was recently the victim of a credit card fraud, and one of my suspicions is that my data was stolen over an open Wi-Fi network.

I was connected to an open Wi-Fi network yesterday, and I have my credit card details stored in my Notes. BUT, I never entered my card details whilst connected to the network.

Would it have been possible to steal my Notes data through the network?

On what device?

It's highly unlikely that you would be compromised in this way. That said, keeping card details in an unencrypted form like that is asking for trouble.

Sorry, I was on an iPhone 5.

Most credit card fraud is done via phishing websites, so have you bought anything on the web from a less than well known site?

But the most common method is card cloning, often done by corrupt staff in shops, so try and do a web search to see if anybody else in your area has had cards cloned and what stores might have done it

Threads merged

louishen said:

Most credit card fraud is done via phishing websites, so have you bought anything on the web from a less than well known site?

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The bank says the purchase was made from Expedia, but I've never bought anything off there. I don't recall entering my details on dodgy websites, I use Paypal for everything, with the exception of Amazon/airline tickets.

Was there anything suspicious in my Activity Monitor?

But the most common method is card cloning, often done by corrupt staff in shops, so try and do a web search to see if anybody else in your area has had cards cloned and what stores might have done it

Click to expand...

This is also unlikely, as I only use my credit card for online shopping.

I'm starting to think that my data was stolen through an open Wi-Fi network after all. I already blocked my credit card, but I want to make sure that I'm not being spied on, in order to avoid this in the future.

Just so I understand, you were on your iPhone on your WiFi when you think the "theft" happened. If so, why are you looking on your Mac? Second, why do you have an open and unsecure WiFi network? That's the first and easiest thing to do to protect yourself.

Next, are you logging into websites that are secure (HTTPS) when you are entering your credit card information as opposed to regular HTTP?

Installing any software on your Mac that might monitor your activity does require you admin password..

Raz0rEdge said:

Just so I understand, you were on your iPhone on your WiFi when you think the "theft" happened. If so, why are you looking on your Mac? Second, why do you have an open and unsecure WiFi network? That's the first and easiest thing to do to protect yourself.

Click to expand...

My two threads were merged, so I understand the confusion. I'll try to break it down.

Someone illegally used my credit card. Since I only use my credit card for online purchases (again, Paypal aside, only for Amazon and airline companies, which [to answer your second question] do use HTTPS encryption), it could be one of two things: either someone is spying on my Mac*, or someone stole my credit card details (which were saved in Notes) on my iPhone.

My network at home is perfectly secure. I was connected to an open and insecure Wi-Fi network because I was not at home at the time. But, again, I did not enter my credit card details whilst connected to this insecure network.

My question is: is it technologically possible to steal data that's already saved on an iPhone through an open Wi-Fi network? Or would it only be possible if the credit card data was sent over the network?

*again, what's the best way of checking for spyware on a Mac? Is there a Windows equivalent of netstat to see what IP addresses are connected to your machine?

OK, thank you for explaining the situation so I can understand..

First, it is no possible for anyone to "login" and steal your information on the iPhone only based on it being connected to an unsecure WiFi network. A "hacker" would have to get you to install an application (from the App Store) that would somehow access your notes (and you'd be warned of this attempt) and then forward that along.

If you weren't entering any of your credit card information while connected to the unsecure network then no problem there..

If you always ensure to use HTTPS sites before entering your credit card information, it's very hard for people to get your numbers from that transaction. I use my credit cards online all the time and have never had anyone steal it. The one time it HAS happened was at a physical location where I swiped my card and the clerk wrote down the number..

The other way someone could've gotten your credit card information is hacking any of the sites you have visited who store your information..it doesn't necessarily have to be coming FROM your computer..

Last, there is no good way of KNOWING you have spyware installed on the computer because that would just be counter to how spyware should operate. It'd be pretty silly for a spyware/malware write to have their applications show up in Activity Monitor with obvious names that would tip anyone off..

Additionally, if your home network is secure, then only people you trust (who have the password) could've gotten access to your machine..or you installed some programs from potentially shady sides that claimed to be legitimate or what have you..if neither of these is true, then no worries.

Finally, as long as your running as a regular user with admin privs on your computer, any software installation that makes system changes will require your admin privs to complete, so if you haven't seen that recently (or at least right around the time the credit card numbers were stolen) then your Mac isn't the place for you to be looking..

Thanks a lot for clarifying that. It's still a mystery to me as I neither installed anything, nor did I enter my CC details while connected to the insecure network. The only likely scenario is that the actual site that stored my information was hacked.

Anyway, the bank has launched an investigation into the theft, so I'll find out sooner or later. Thanks again for the help.

A lot of consumers are not getting hip to security on their devices and taking the necessary steps to protect their data and themselves, sadly a lot of companies that we do business with don't seem to be taking data protection that seriously and are opening an avenue for people to steal our data..

But the most common method is card cloning, often done by corrupt staff in shops, so try and do a web search to see if anybody else in your area has had cards cloned and what stores might have done it

Click to expand...

This is also unlikely, as I only use my credit card for online shopping.

Click to expand...

Afraid not. We just went through the same thing with both our personal accounts and a business account we own. The bank investigation very clearly showed the cards were cloned and very likely done from on line shopping sites.

Previously it was done from a Wal-Mart store and one time from Target. I've been through this a number of times. And each time although the bank investigation showed exactly where it had been done, it's almost impossible to catch the thieves.