Need/should use wired internet connection when there's extortion? Man-in-the-middle?

Archive
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I am being extorted by a hacker. The hacker says he has a copy of all of my data and also has a full copy of it on servers on the internet. I am a home user. I have a brand new Windows 11 Pro Intel NUC laptop. I have Norton 360 Premium and Norton Utilities Ultimate. I have a coax cable (to the wall) internet connection from my router/modem. The router/modem has both wired (ethernet) and wireless communication capabilties to/from my laptop. My wireless connection works more reliably than my ethernet connection. No one has physical access to my laptop except me. Is it important that I use a wired (ethernet) connection between my laptop and my modem/router? Years ago I heard a little about Man-In-The-Middle. Is that relevant here? What should I do to have good cyber interactions? Any information is appreciated.

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Hello @MichBer

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How did you get the message that you have been hacked? Email or browser popup?

Your priority should be to look into the scam or pawn links above. That is much more likely than an actual hack on a home user. I have had similar messages in the past that were scams.

Then you can follow up with the other protection suggestions.

 

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Hello @MichBer

Change the trust level of your network and devices
https://support.norton.com/sp/en/us/solutions/v9802264 03-Apr-2024

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What is hacking?
https://www.malwarebytes.com/cybersecurity/basics/hacker

';--have i been pwned?
https://haveibeenpwned.com/

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Hello @MichBer

How to tell if someone hacked your router
https://us.norton.com/blog/privacy/how-to-tell-if-someone-hacked-your-router

Norton Cyber Safety Pulse Report: Scams in the digital age
https://us.norton.com/blog/emerging-threats/pulse-report

What is a man-in-the-middle attack?
https://us.norton.com/blog/wifi/what-is-a-man-in-the-middle-attack

Keep your home Wi-Fi safe 
https://us.norton.com/blog/iot/keep-your-home-wifi-safe

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Ethernet networks can be hacked, although it typically requires more effort and specific circumstances compared to wireless networks. Due to its physical nature, hacking an Ethernet network often necessitates direct access to the network hardware or connections. 

In the past, wired networks were considered to be far more secure than wireless networks. Today, however, wireless networks are as secure as wired networks, so long as they are properly configured. 

How your home network can be hacked and how to prevent it
https://www.infosecinstitute.com/resources/network-security-101

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“Professional Hacker” Email Scam Threatens To Expose Fake Videos of You
https://malwaretips.com/blogs/professional-hacker-blackmail-email-scam/

“Unfortunately, There Are Some Bad News For You” Email Scam Explained
https://malwaretips.com/blogs/unfortunately-blackmail-email-scam/

Sextortion Email Scams: How They Trick and Extort Victims
https://malwaretips.com/blogs/sextortion/

Exposing the Fake “Careful, It’s Important” Sextortion Email 
https://malwaretips.com/blogs/careful-important-sextortion-email/