Hi Y'all - Can You Help? File Privacy-security Question

I'm driving myself a little crazy encrypting/unencrypting a number of files on a daily/hourly basis and I'm wondering if it's even necessary. I use Windows 7 Pro 64-bit. My files are on a separate hard drive.

I do run antivirus & anti-malware, but that is really irrelevant to my question because they are insurance - I don't want to depend on them for this purpose.

My computer has a hardwired connection to my router - however, it is a wireless router and I do have my TV connected to it wirelessly, which I guess makes it a wireless network (it is passworded). I use ipconfig to drop my internet connection if I'm going to be away from the PC for more than a few minutes, and if longer than that, I shut everything down.

My Question:

I have a desktop computer in my office at home and NO one has any PHYSICAL access to it at all. I also have Remote Desktop disabled, in addition to disabling 5 windows services that could enable remote access to my computer. I don't visit questionable sites (that I know of) and I don't open unknown email attachments or links. I don't "sync" any device with my computer, or "sync" anything from my computer to the "cloud".

If no one has physical access or remote desktop access to my PC, is there a way that anyone could view or copy a file on it that is NOT encrypted? (my concern, obviously, is for 'hacking' or malware injection and I know nothing about how these are done) In my situation, would a file (txt, doc, rtf, jpg, png, or zip) in which I store my passwords or financial info, be safe without being encrypted? I use a Password Manager with a Master Password, but I keep an updated file of my own (which I probably won't access as much once I have most of my passwords in the Password Manager).

Please don't reply if you aren't sure of your answer.....I don't want to guess about this.
Thanks be to helpers,
Anne

 

Welcome to MajorGeeks.

 

For a home user, it sounds like you're doing everything right. Allowing people to remotely connect, going to suspicious websites and clicking on unknown email links are the three things most likely to end up in your PC being hacked. I've been doing computer repair for home/small office users over 15 years; almost all virus/malware issues are now caused by these

I'm assuming you have a high quality antivirus program installed, too. If you ever insert a USB drive to get a file from a friend, coworker, etc. be sure your antivirus program scans it before you open anything - a rogue file on an unknown USB drive can pass around malware the same way sharing a drinking cup can spread the flu.

If you have a one-touch setup button on your router, go into the router settings and disable it. On older routers (and even a few current ones) hackers within range of your WiFi can exploit the one touch setup option to crack your WiFi network password.

For added piece of mind, you can consider getting a separate malware blocker like MalwareBytes. The paid/premium version proactively protects against malware and can be run at the same time as most antivirus software.

Finally, don't forget about the general security of your home and protecting it from burglary.

Hope this helps.

 

Gaining root access to a remote device is fairly difficult dependent on how updated and secure we are.

In the old days we used to boast about drowning servers with DOS ack's.

Today its big business......worth big $$$!

Your most unlikely to be wasted time on, unless your a world bank or the Pentagon maybe??
Sorry, but your not that important!
They don't want your family Pic's, but they may want your resources for bot or ID discovery!

 

Not much need for data encryption i reckon......if your WiFi LAN is WPA2 protected its bloody hard to crack provided your network password is set away from default and is strong.

When sending data across the internet, I recommend tunneling through VPN.