Please help find spyware installed on my MacBook Air!

[greenenvy]

I'm very concerned that someone who installed a few programs on my mac over a year ago, also installed spyware (or can access my laptop remotely).
I have read previous posts: if I understand correctly, the activity monitor needs to be checked over?? (I have Little Snitch installed and firewall is active. I also use a VPN)

Can someone please see if anything looks suspicious here???!!! THANKS
(is it "All Processes, Hierarchically" and CPU that you need to see?)

Also attached "Other User Processes"

[holmesf]

Originally Posted by greenenvy

I'm very concerned that someone who installed a few programs on my mac over a year ago, also installed spyware (or can access my laptop remotely).
I have read previous posts: if I understand correctly, the activity monitor needs to be checked over?? (I have Little Snitch installed and firewall is active. I also use a VPN)

Can someone please see if anything looks suspicious here???!!! THANKS
(is it "All Processes, Hierarchically" and CPU that you need to see?)

Also attached "Other User Processes"

If someone wrote a spyware program they aren't going to call it something like "spyware.app" so I doubt you'd find it this way. If you're worried you should just backup your files, wipe your hard drive, and reinstall the OS.

[SandboxGeneral]

What indication do you have that they installed some spyware on your computer?

[greenenvy]

Originally Posted by holmesf

If someone wrote a spyware program they aren't going to call it something like "spyware.app" so I doubt you'd find it this way. If you're worried you should just backup your files, wipe your hard drive, and reinstall the OS.

yes ok, the only way to make sure. and then, never let anyone touch my mac!

[holmesf]

Originally Posted by greenenvy

yes ok, the only way to make sure. and then, never let anyone touch my mac!

edit: nevermind, actually if they had direct access to your Mac, were evil, and knew what they were doing they probably could have done some damage.

[greenenvy]

Originally Posted by SandboxGeneral

What indication do you have that they installed some spyware on your computer?

The unrelenting nature of the person stalking me (I have been twice to the police)... he even installed a tracker in my car!. If he could spy on me via my laptop he would. (so probably best to re-install everything)

It's not the same person who installed those programs but I'm now thinking he could have organised for the guy to offer me those programs and also install spyware.

[old-wiz]

Originally Posted by greenenvy

The unrelenting nature of the person stalking me (I have been twice to the police)... he even installed a tracker in my car!. If he could spy on me via my laptop he would. (so probably best to re-install everything)

It's not the same person who installed those programs but I'm now thinking he could have organised for the guy to offer me those programs and also install spyware.

Installing a tracker on your car would run into criminal behavior. If you know who the person is and the police don't want to help (not surprising) get an attorney.

Smart thing is to wipe the system and reinstall but be sure not to install stuff you don't trust.

[agenda893]

paranoia will destroy ya.

[DUCKofD3ATH]

Don't panic....If you haven't noticed any damage, there's nothing to worry about. Simply reinstall OS X and manually reinstall the apps so the spyware doesn't get back on to your Mac.

You might want to run a virus checker on your personal files and multimedia stuff (music, vids, etc.).

The only thing I can imagine that might cause you trouble is if you were doing something unlawful and/or shameful that your so-called stalker might have recorded for use at a later date.

Barring that, you're fine.

[dugbug]

Originally Posted by greenenvy

The unrelenting nature of the person stalking me (I have been twice to the police)... he even installed a tracker in my car!. If he could spy on me via my laptop he would. (so probably best to re-install everything)

It's not the same person who installed those programs but I'm now thinking he could have organised for the guy to offer me those programs and also install spyware.

Sorry to hear about your troubles. I helped a relative with a similar problem. First, some other possible attack vectors to consider:

• Obtaining your iphone, jailbreaking it with spyware, and returning it.
• Knowing your itunes password (find my iphone)
• Knowing your email password (reading your emails).

I recommend you download the free ios app 'lookout' to detect if your phone has been jailbroken (which can be done to masquerade commercially available spyware).

I recommend 1password as a great app (for both mac and iphone/ipad) to create and manage crazy hard passwords for your important services like email,itunes. Then I recommend you change your passwords using the generated ones from 1password.

Finally try the rootkit hunter app on your mac:
http://www.christian-hornung.de/
As well as the free trial of the kaspersky security for mac.

You can see in my sig I am not anonymous if that is comforting. PM me if you have any questions.