Brothers,

While I would prefer to stay away from this mess, as I feel I have little to contribute historically, I can certainly speak for the baliwick that is computer hacking. I may have a tiny bit of expertise in this area, having run a company that cleaned computers for a couple of years. If SinBob would forgive me the transgression of bending the rules a bit for the next few paragraphs I would shed some light on what I see as a few inconsistencies.

If Gumby's PC were hacked, and someone managed to get his login and password to this forum, one would think that they would have logins and passwords to more profitable websites and accounts. If it were me, I certainly would not be back online so soon as my PC would be 'off the net' if not examined by police or a professional. I would be checking every bank account, client, etc. I would contact the lifelock or the 3 credit bureaus. I would backup the hard drive in case bombs were planted. I would be scanning the thing with every software imaginable. I imagine as this is the first time he's had this problem that he has a firewall program (not windows, please) and at least one Anti Virus/Anti Spyware program running. This is his business as he has clients right? There is no way I would be getting back so soon.

Another possibility would be that someone installed a Key Logger that transmitted his keystrokes. Again, similar situation as above. Only key loggers tend to be installed locally on machines, therefore someone needs access to the physical machine.

A more likely scenario, which fits what is really happening is that a disgruntled client came by and came across his PC, saw he was logged in and stepped away from PC and posted that knowledgeable post. No random person could just login, and post to our site with relevant info? You have seen the banned posts that spiders and spammers post. It didn't feel like that at all.

Or perhaps there is no client...

The hacker only made 'one' post? That is the extent for which a person risked a felony mischief charge? To stir the pot?

Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.

- Hamlet (1.4.90), Marcellus to Horatio

EvanG1615