>>>While I guess I am a bit more paranoid than others, quite a few of the security holes I imagined have been realized -
>>>when I was automating IE last century quite a few leaks like cross site access were evident and the banking card
>>>scimmings and PIN thefts were as easy to predict as man in the middle attacks...
>>
>>I'll tell you, if I ever need some serious networking or configuration done you and Al will be the first two I will ask. Seriously. I take normally prudent precautions like running antivirus and being careful what links I click but I am following about 1% of the discussion between you two. OK, I can configure a router and a secure wireless network but wouldn't have a clue how to fine tune it.
>
>Mike,
>
>paranoia in this area was not born in: my place was burglarized,
>PC's screwed open, discs taken. To top it off, backup tapes were missing as well -
>only the ones not sealed in unopened new plastic were left.
>If I had not had backups in a bank vault, I would have been wiped out in my contract
>to mine and report certain data for which I had developed a program suite over 8 years -
>1 of them with nearly monastry coding habits.
>
>Add to that a dirty mind to speculate on holes in setups...
>Good clicking habits are the best defense, adding different layers/areas of software is the next.
>If you have programmed behind solid metal doors with no mobile phone allowed (turn of the century
>when smartphones were still quite dumb) you realize how easy to overcome most "home security" really is.
>
>I do not want to ever relive the 6 weeks atter the break-in, getting all the changes from bank vault
>to current back in from memory and reworking the data sets for last, current and next month in time.
>
>And I am *not* really good at fine tuning it:
>I throw up more obstacle areas in the hope one is configured tight enough ;-)

My condolences - that sounds like it was a particularly nasty, professional, targeted hit. Was anyone ever brought to justice? Did you ever find any evidence of your data or work being used by others?

In your shoes I'd need to trace all my services back to the utility point-of-presence (or even further) to check for bugs or other droppings. Also replace or thoroughly check all electronics that might be able to record audio/video, connect to a network or the Internet, or act as a host for a bug that could do those things. More than merely a PITA.