Help please. My iMacs being controlled by someone else

Jameslaw15 · Jameslaw15 #1 (**permalink**)

04-11-2011, 07:41 PM

Hi,
This is my first post so please be gentle. I was sitting next to my iMac musing my own business when photoshop opened up one of my psd files on my desktop. I thought it was a bit weird so went to restart and I couldn't control anything the cursor was moving around by itself clicking and moving stuff.so I quickly turned off my iMac and restarted now I can control it again.

I have no sharing options on and I am really concerned. Shall I reset my modem? Or will they be able to access whenever they want.

How do I know it won't happen again?

If anyone could point me in the right direction it would be greatly appreciated.

mattg3 · mattg3 #2 (**permalink**)

04-11-2011, 08:40 PM

Is your firewall turned on?

roflitskyle · roflitskyle #3 (**permalink**)

04-11-2011, 09:01 PM

Do you live with some one that has another Mad and is on the same network? Then they can screen share with your computer if they know the User name and password. It might just be a stale joke.

But if you don't, have you downloaded anything unusually lately?

- Kyle

north_guy · north_guy #4 (**permalink**)

04-11-2011, 09:21 PM

I would hardwire your computer directly to your modem and work off of the network for a few days, see if the problem continues.

Doug b · Doug b #5 (**permalink**)

04-11-2011, 09:23 PM

Are you running any bluetooth peripherals such as BT keyboard/mouse/Magic Trackpad/Wacom Tablet ?

Doug

cwa107 · cwa107 #6 (**permalink**)

04-11-2011, 10:38 PM

I think before we go any further, we need the OP to answer one question - does anyone else have physical access to your iMac?

Jameslaw15 · Jameslaw15 #7 (**permalink**)

04-12-2011, 04:49 AM

Hi
my firewall is on
no-one else has a mac near me and i have turned off all the sharing options
I havn't downloaded anything recently.
and i'm not running anything through bluetooth. I have turned it off.

I'm worried its going to happen again when i'm not there. I've now set it up so it logs off every 5 minutes but if i'm downloading something i prefer to leave it and it might happen then.

bobtomay · bobtomay #8 (**permalink**)

04-12-2011, 06:47 AM

.....

Quote:

Originally Posted by cwa107

I think before we go any further, we need the OP to answer one question - does anyone else have physical access to your iMac?

robduckyworth · robduckyworth #9 (**permalink**)

04-12-2011, 05:12 PM

put it this way. to do what you are claiming your mac is doing:

- your password needs to be compromised.

with this, they can install VNC, and log into your computer on a network any time the like, or SSH into your system whenever they like.

is there anyone around you that would know your password, or is it easily guessable?

(i.e blank, or "passw0rd" etc.)

Jameslaw15 · Jameslaw15 #10 (**permalink**)

04-13-2011, 05:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robduckyworth

put it this way. to do what you are claiming your mac is doing:

- your password needs to be compromised.

with this, they can install VNC, and log into your computer on a network any time the like, or SSH into your system whenever they like.

is there anyone around you that would know your password, or is it easily guessable?

(i.e blank, or "passw0rd" etc.)

Nobody knows my password and will be impossible to guess. I take it there's no software that can see why it happened or prevent it from happening again. I have made it so it locks after 5 minutes of inactivity and there has been no further signs of it happening again.

cwa107 · cwa107 #11 (**permalink**)

04-13-2011, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jameslaw15

Nobody knows my password and will be impossible to guess. I take it there's no software that can see why it happened or prevent it from happening again. I have made it so it locks after 5 minutes of inactivity and there has been no further signs of it happening again.

Again - we still need to know if any other person has *physical* access to the machine. I'm not talking about some remote entity on the Internet, I'm talking about someone else who could *walk up* and touch the machine.

For example - is the machine in a private home only accessible to you? Or is it in a dorm where your roommate might be able to get to it?

This is absolutely key to advising you appropriately on how to secure the machine.

Jameslaw15 · Jameslaw15 #12 (**permalink**)

04-13-2011, 07:44 AM

I am the only one that uses my computer and it's not accessible to anyone else.

cwa107 · cwa107 #13 (**permalink**)

04-13-2011, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jameslaw15

I am the only one that uses my computer and it's not accessible to anyone else.

Great. So, that pretty much rules out someone installing something like VNC or Logmein to remotely control the machine and pretty much narrows the scope of this issue.

Next questions:

1. What version of Mac OS X are you running?
2. Have you run Software Update to make sure you're up-to-date on security patches?
3. Are you up-to-date on Adobe Flash & Reader?
4. Have you downloaded any pirated software (ever)?

You mentioned that you have Sharing turned off. Please open System Preferences => Sharing and ensure that it looks exactly like this:

Jameslaw15 · Jameslaw15 #14 (**permalink**)

04-13-2011, 12:43 PM

I'm running 10.5.8. I have just updated the software and installed the updates, adobe flash and reader are up to date and i have never downloaded pirated software.

My sharing options are also identical to the screen shot shown.

When i said it's being controlled by someone else this was my initial thought because stuff was happening on my screen that i wasn't controlling, but since i restarted it there has been no signs of it happening again.

indychris · indychris #15 (**permalink**)

04-16-2011, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cwa107

HEY!!! I want to know how you got control of MY MBP??!! That's MY computer name you got up there!!

Doug b #5 (permalink)
Member Since: Jun 22, 2008 Location: Forest Hills, NYC Posts: 3,339 Mac Specs: 15-inch Early 2008; Processor 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo; Memory 4 GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM; 10.7.5	04-11-2011, 09:23 PM Are you running any bluetooth peripherals such as BT keyboard/mouse/Magic Trackpad/Wacom Tablet ? Doug Alternatives to iTunes click here !
	QUOTE Thanks

cwa107 #6 (permalink)
Member Since: Dec 20, 2006 Location: Middletown, Pennsylvania Posts: 25,917 Mac Specs: 15" MBP, Core i7/2GHz, 8GB RAM, 256GB Crucial M4 SSD	04-11-2011, 10:38 PM I think before we go any further, we need the OP to answer one question - does anyone else have physical access to your iMac? Liquid and computers don't mix. It might seem simple, but we see an incredible amount of people post here about spills. Keep drinks and other liquids away from your expensive electronics!
	QUOTE Thanks

robduckyworth #9 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 04, 2011 Location: Reading, UK Posts: 2,972 Mac Specs: 15" MBP, 2.5GHz i7, 750GB, 6770M 1GB, iPad 3, iPhone 4, custom PC	04-12-2011, 05:12 PM put it this way. to do what you are claiming your mac is doing: - your password needs to be compromised. with this, they can install VNC, and log into your computer on a network any time the like, or SSH into your system whenever they like. is there anyone around you that would know your password, or is it easily guessable? (i.e blank, or "passw0rd" etc.) If you find a post helpful, don't forget to use the reputation system (top right of post.) Join us in the IRC! How? Add me on Steam, Origin or PSN (Vita): robduckyworth
	QUOTE Thanks

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Jameslaw15 #1 (permalink)
Member Since: Apr 11, 2011 Posts: 5	04-11-2011, 07:41 PM Hi, This is my first post so please be gentle. I was sitting next to my iMac musing my own business when photoshop opened up one of my psd files on my desktop. I thought it was a bit weird so went to restart and I couldn't control anything the cursor was moving around by itself clicking and moving stuff.so I quickly turned off my iMac and restarted now I can control it again. I have no sharing options on and I am really concerned. Shall I reset my modem? Or will they be able to access whenever they want. How do I know it won't happen again? If anyone could point me in the right direction it would be greatly appreciated.
	QUOTE Thanks

mattg3 #2 (permalink)
Member Since: Dec 05, 2010 Posts: 50	04-11-2011, 08:40 PM Is your firewall turned on?
	QUOTE Thanks

north_guy #4 (permalink)
Member Since: Feb 16, 2011 Posts: 108	04-11-2011, 09:21 PM I would hardwire your computer directly to your modem and work off of the network for a few days, see if the problem continues.
	QUOTE Thanks

Jameslaw15 #7 (permalink)
Member Since: Apr 11, 2011 Posts: 5	04-12-2011, 04:49 AM Hi my firewall is on no-one else has a mac near me and i have turned off all the sharing options I havn't downloaded anything recently. and i'm not running anything through bluetooth. I have turned it off. I'm worried its going to happen again when i'm not there. I've now set it up so it logs off every 5 minutes but if i'm downloading something i prefer to leave it and it might happen then.
	QUOTE Thanks

Jameslaw15 #12 (permalink)
Member Since: Apr 11, 2011 Posts: 5	04-13-2011, 07:44 AM I am the only one that uses my computer and it's not accessible to anyone else.
	QUOTE Thanks

Jameslaw15 #14 (permalink)
Member Since: Apr 11, 2011 Posts: 5	04-13-2011, 12:43 PM I'm running 10.5.8. I have just updated the software and installed the updates, adobe flash and reader are up to date and i have never downloaded pirated software. My sharing options are also identical to the screen shot shown. When i said it's being controlled by someone else this was my initial thought because stuff was happening on my screen that i wasn't controlling, but since i restarted it there has been no signs of it happening again.
	QUOTE Thanks

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