Ask HN: $10k in cryptos stolen off my desktop from an encrypted folder, how?

They certainly aren't paper. They also aren't cold, being on a networked computer.

I don't like victim-blaming, especially because this is really a usability issue for crypto, but I have never heard anyone say that a pw protected .rar file is appropriate security. If you're going to make a significant investment into crypto, I just don't understand how you can ignore all the security advice.

b) check Teamviewer and remote desktop viewers. Especially the ports those programs would typically use. It is a common attack vector to come in through those and view your machine, install key loggers as you, etc. Which leads to the next part:

c) How was the 12 character password stored? Only in your head? In a password manager? in gmail? used in other areas?

If even someone that is technical savvy (I don't know much about the OP but someone that uses RAR, knows how to make crypto wallets and knows how to check the processes running in his computer is much ahead of the average person in terms of IT knowledge) can't be safe with their Crypto coins, you really can't expect that the average person ever trusts Bitcoin and company for anything.

I'm sorry for your loss, but there is nothing you can do really. Try and contact Poloniex for the Ether, but unless you have some prof those coins actually belong to you, it will be next to impossible to have them do anything.

a) Your machine was already compromised when you made the rar

b) The attacker logged your password, either when you entered the archive or into another service which shares the same password

c) perhaps WinRAR encrypted archives have a cyptographic flaw making them easily broken by software

d) perhaps the attacker has been bruteforcing for a while

Just following the transactions I can see that 125 ether were sent to Poloniex so I'd contact them to see if they can help you.

Culprit: >> (1) I download a lot from Torrent sites

Solution:

1. Wipe out computer / reinstall everything from clean sources.

2. Don't download crap!