[at-l] OT - Trojan Horses

[janl2 at mindspring.com (Jan Leitschuh)]

Hi all,

I need to tap the vast amount of internet security expertise here. I 
may have what I have discovered is called a Trojan Horse on my computer.
Last week, while I was on a secure site, I tried to type something in 
a search box and nothing happened. (I later went behind my computer 
and found that my keyboard had come unplugged). All of a sudden the 
words "Damn! I had fun!" appeared in the search box. I did not type 
them. Bear in mind, my computer keyboard was unplugged.
It's a pretty creepy feeling.
I ran Norton anti virus, which found nothing, I do have a Sygate 
firewall which is active ( I checked at the time and it reported no 
attack).
I called the site administrator (it's a private, subscription-only 
site I use daily in my business), and he is an internet security guy 
in his "day job." He said the only way to access the site would be 
through my end, my two computers. We changed my password verbally over 
the phone (he typed in the changes from his end, so no "observer" 
would see it). He suggested the Trojan Horse thing.
Now eArThworm tells me she sent me four emails that I haven't 
received. (Anyone else who I "haven't responded" to?)

1) How does one detect this?
2) How does one rid this?
3) What sort of havoc can I expect to be wreaked?
4) Can this TJ jump to anyone I correspond with, or does it involve a 
direct attack on an individual computer?
5) Could I have picked this up long ago, before I got a firewall?
6) Now what? Does "42" figure into this anywhere?

The computer seems to run about the same, and no further invasions 
that I know of.
Sure made me aware of how dependent on our computers we've quickly 
become. Thank god I don't do online banking. But I do run my Paypal 
and business through there.

I await the fruits of your wisdom and experience.
Invaded Shoe
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