The Strangest Story Ever Told.

Question

it's not, sorry--although if i told it in its entirety it might be one of the most unbelievably corrupt, at least in the 21st century, postmodern world of the west. i wont, dont worry. i just have a question.
id est {as they say}:
how does one tell if one's machine has been hacked/elsewise compromised?
is it possible for someone to do this easily? remotely?
against my better desire for a perfect world, my machine is password protected. we do have a router; it is also password protected & insulated by its own personal firewalls. i am pretty decent, if not ever perfect, at setting up my machine, its preferences, etc & ect. i should be--i've been using one for fourteen years. over the past few months i have been noticing what i consider quite peculiar peculiarities--after restart i see that, while they are still where i left them, all my desktop files have also been copied into another folder, usually called jnmhipza.default ([or a variation thereof]), although sometimes [p'[]] will do ([or a variation thereof]). files i have either never seen or knowingly created also arise ([ie copies of bookmarks, etc & ect]).
a few days ago i was also, strangely, unable to install my new printer ([this is a first]), even after using at least four different usb cables & firewire cables &..... all of a sudden i was also unable to write cds. may i note that this was before i was due to appear in court, documents in hand, against someone who was the filthiest of tricksters i have ever encountered? they want condos. i have an apartment. they got their condo out of me, at least.
last note: thinking i might entertain them w/ a little bit of merzbow, i pumped up the volume just a wee wee little bit. really, now, anyone should like merzbow--i was tired & went to lie down. all of a sudden i heard what i thought was either a shot or a can of coca cola exploding in my freezer ([this was not on the cd]). i came back to my imac--the volume was down by three quarters.
ideas?
[have a happy]
& thanx.
Message was edited by: RimbaudsFlickedFleas. Yes, & this for oddities of punctuation & unexpected color, not to mention better documentation.

Answer 1

thank you everso for yr reply.
i agree. it may have been compromised. i am unsure, myself & if so, if that compromise was done by breaking in etherly or via the more traditional front door.
i thoroughly agree about the wired router & will buy one tomorrow. i have been running a belkin wireless (largely b/c years ago i was a designer for belkin & was fond of the vice president) but this will immediately change. i will take better precautions as far as protecting my user ([me]). i deeply appreciate yr helpful suggestions & they shall be put into use. you have done yr Good Deed of the Day, if you like.
i keep no financial info on my computer. one of the reasons i have been less circumspect than many about all of this is that i found the whole thing funny--they can have copies of my ([public]) koehnline animated gifs & photos of the various Hair Bands that once employed my significant other. they can have copies of the images i downloaded from NASA's Astronomy Photo of the Day. they can have copies of [pass the dust, i think i'm bowie] by [the metrosquad] led by the long dead [black randy]. long ago i gave up on limewire & began to use e-music or rhapsody--i do not even download software. were it not for the tenant/landlord 'dispute' in which one side employed tactics i thought went out w/ Fred Hampton {[or richard nixon]}, i wouldnt care if the entire world hacked my computer. its contents are about as worrisome as the avatar i chose to represent me. now, though.....
now though, when we leave ([ASAP]), i will run yr Little Snitch to see what, if anything, happened. this was a spooking experience. i can prove nothing, but i am curious. i have learned more about this postpostmodern world than ever i wanted to know. for that i am sorrowed; though, redux, for yr kind assistance i am grateful.
my best to you--
[+the cultivated flicked fleas of arthur rimbaud+]
Message was edited by: RimbaudsFlickedFleas, once again for punctuation.