Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Please help find spyware installed on my MacBook Air!

G

greenenvy

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 18, 2013
3
0
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"
 

Attachments

  • shot1.png
    shot1.png
    232.9 KB · Views: 740
  • shot2.png
    shot2.png
    211.3 KB · Views: 426
  • other users.png
    other users.png
    95.1 KB · Views: 323
H

holmesf

macrumors 6502a
Sep 30, 2001
528
25
greenenvy said:
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"
Click to expand...

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.
 
G

greenenvy

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 18, 2013
3
0
holmesf said:
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.
Click to expand...

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

holmesf

macrumors 6502a
Sep 30, 2001
528
25
greenenvy said:
yes ok, the only way to make sure. and then, never let anyone touch my mac!
Click to expand...

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.
 
G

greenenvy

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 18, 2013
3
0
SandboxGeneral said:
What indication do you have that they installed some spyware on your computer?
Click to expand...

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.
 
O

old-wiz

macrumors G3
Mar 26, 2008
8,331
228
West Suburban Boston Ma
greenenvy said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
DUCKofD3ATH

DUCKofD3ATH

Suspended
Jun 6, 2005
541
2,419
Universe 0 Timeline
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

dugbug

macrumors 68000
Aug 23, 2008
1,865
1,926
Somewhere in Florida
greenenvy said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom