Comments for My ex-boyfriend set up my computer and is now spying on me. What can I do?

Comment from Amy on 2011-05-29

2011-05-30T01:21:58Z

I need help. My fiancé Bought Ming password spy and has recently gotten into my email account. He has come clean about the situation but what I'm wondering is if my email is still compromised. We work together, we own our own business, he has it installed on his laptop at home. I've created a new email since but am wondering if it's too late if there are logs running. Please help.

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A comment on: My ex-boyfriend set up my computer and is now spying on me. What can I do?

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Comment from Alex Dow on 2011-03-07

2011-03-07T10:16:45Z

Two aspects that are not clear-

How does she know that he "is now spying on me"?

Does the ex-boyfriend have direct, physical, hands-on access; or is it the more-likely Remote Access?

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If the latter, then is it not possible to simply de-install any (Linux) programs that provide such facilities?

Not having experience of Linux, I can't immediately name any such programs; but thinking of the limited amount of Linux software, it seems unlikely that there are many to track down etc.

Alex Dow

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A comment on: My ex-boyfriend set up my computer and is now spying on me. What can I do?

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Comment from jeeva on 2011-03-01

2011-03-02T03:45:16Z

boot in single user mode and change your root password he doesn't know the password u reseted

Actually that's not enough. He could have other accounts that have sudo privilege, or he could be logging into root without a password at all using public key authentication.

04-Mar-2011

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A comment on: My ex-boyfriend set up my computer and is now spying on me. What can I do?

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Comment from nourider on 2011-03-01

2011-03-01T17:47:36Z

Back up your personal data to an external or other drive. Burn it onto discs if you have to. Then BEFORE you wipe your current OS, DL whatever distro you like or are familiar with and burn the iso. Many are extremely easy to install. You can GUI all the way and be up and running in no time. The install will give you the option of creating a new partition or wiping and starting over. Wipe it. Then repost your data where it belongs. There, you're done and clean.

If your scared of flying without a net, I would recommend burning a live cd distro such as puppy so you can run that and get on the net to look for help if you encounter any glitches during install. There's lots of help out there.

This is an area which has always kind of bothered me. I've set up sites and computers and even pay-pal shopping carts for many people, family, studio clients (music artists), friends etc. I could probably go back through my paper files and find much sensitive information on these people.

It's just the nature of the beast. I MUST have this information in order to set up pay per download and other such things. Non tech people just want plug and play. "Make it work", is what I heard most often, even after explaining that I really didn't want to know the information and offering to teach them how to do it themselves. Even if it takes six times longer to hold their hand and have them do it, I'm willing to do that for no extra cost.

100% of my clients, family, friends, whoever, have said "No, I trust you. Here's my credit card number and you set up the passwords."

Now, I'm a trustworthy hippie. I would never dream of abusing the trust. I pride myself on that. BUT, I still don't want the information. What if someone else got into their account somehow and did some damage. I can see some rabid prosecutor learning of my knowledge and making life hell for me trying to prove my innocence.

Even when just setting up a home machine, I beg people to change my root or admin psswd. If I need to help later, you can log me in and let me do my thing. They never do.

My point is that if you have sensitive information on your machine, it is up to YOU to secure it. If you're getting advice or set up from someone, be it a friend or a hired gun, who doesn't offer you a way to completely lock them out after their work is done, run, don't walk, away.

If you're not willing to learn how to secure your own stuff, maybe you should take a hard look at how much sensitive information you put on your machine.

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A comment on: My ex-boyfriend set up my computer and is now spying on me. What can I do?

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Comment from not2techy on 2010-03-12

2010-03-13T04:37:57Z

I know how she feels--helpless. I thought I knew a few things about computers, but I have a similar problem & have learned I know very little. I spend hours (until I realize I have "butt numb") searching for a solution. I agree with the person who suggested getting a new hard drive, but I wouldn't even begin to know how to do that either. If I were her & could afford it, I would donate the "infected" computer at the next local e-waste event or nearest e-waste facility & buy another.

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A comment on: My ex-boyfriend set up my computer and is now spying on me. What can I do?

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Comment from kat on 2008-03-16

2008-03-16T23:35:36Z

is it really trespassing if she gave him access initially and are there state or federal laws that hold water on this type of stuff?

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A comment on: My ex-boyfriend set up my computer and is now spying on me. What can I do?

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Comment from Andy on 2008-03-06

2008-03-07T03:20:10Z

Since you are using Linux and you might not be able to find someone to help you, one cheap solution is to buy a used hard drive off ebay with an OS on it like XP, just swap drives, make sure its set to master etc, your up and running in no time.

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A comment on: My ex-boyfriend set up my computer and is now spying on me. What can I do?

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Comment from Rusty Wright on 2008-02-29

2008-03-01T05:07:57Z

I suggest you join a Computer User Group.
You can learn the fundamentals there, how to backup, and reformat the computer.
It's not real complicated, but a knowledgable person can teach anyone.
Do a Google search for computer user groups in your area. Best of luck to you.

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A comment on: My ex-boyfriend set up my computer and is now spying on me. What can I do?

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Comment from Greg Bulmash on 2008-02-25

2008-02-25T20:16:04Z

If he's trespassing into her computer without permission and spying on her, she could get another Linux geek to record proof of it and go to the cops under anti-hacking or anti-stalking laws in her state.

Getting rid of him as root on her system is good advice, but it might be nice to buy him a night in the clink and a couple hundred hours of community service as a going away present.

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A comment on: My ex-boyfriend set up my computer and is now spying on me. What can I do?

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