Summary: Allowing others to use your computer is risky, at best, but as this story shows, can lead to some serious and potentially expensive ramifications.
I have a computer in my place of business where I allowed many people to access and use my computer to send and receive emails, allowing some of them to apply for their own emails with Yahoo.
One day about nine months ago, I was visited by the two FBI Agents. When they came in my business one of them asked me if I was the owner; I replied yes, I owned the business. Then he asked if I had a computer, I said yes at the back of the building.
I know that what I am about to tell you, I had been wrong for letting others use my computer, however being new to computers, I had no idea of the dangers of that.
...
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There's much more to this question ... or rather this story.
I'm presenting it as a cautionary tale.
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The story continues:
My business is not too far from the high school, and I have a number of students that do business with me. When I was asked by a lot of them if they could use my computer to write friends emails, and play some games I replied, "well sure, go ahead."
Well the FBI Agents asked if they could look at my computer I said sure. I had no idea what they were looking for. They did get on my computer and found much to to my surprise a lot of some type of illegal porn, they called it child porn.
When they found that on my computer, they told me that they would have to pick up my computer and send it to forensics, for examination. They also said that my IP address was traced from a porn investigation from up north somewhere.
They mentioned that a person had been sending me child porn, and that I had been downloading it. I have NEVER done that!
They asked me if I were the only person using the computer I told them about the use of the computer by many others. Then they wanted me to give them names. I only remembered the first names of many of them, but some I did remember the full names which I gave them. Some of these people were adults and some just kids from the school.
It has now been about nine months since this all happened, and I have not heard from them. They still have my $1,700.00 computer, external hard drive, monitor, keyboard, speakers, and everything I had.
I did contact an attorney, he said that he didn't think I had anything to worry about, however he wanted $ 5,000.00 to sign me up as a client, Sir I don't have that kind of money.
Could you please help?
Unfortunately, I cannot.
I am not a lawyer, and I honestly believe that's exactly what you need. I have to admit that $5,000 seems pretty steep, so I'd certainly consider seeing if there aren't less expensive alternatives.
As I said, I wanted to present this story as a cautionary tale, a warning of sorts, for others who might allow themselves to fall into a similar situation.
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The problem here is actually very simple: you simply cannot allow people you don't know and trust to use your computer.
Ever.
I know that seems harsh, but as this story proves, it's the reality of the internet today.
Particularly in a business setting, you're opening up yourself to all kinds of problems when strangers use your computer.
I know it's tempting. Everything from "being nice" to perhaps allowing people to use your computer briefly to make you a PayPal payment seem like they'd be simple, harmless things.
And yet, they're not.
At one extreme you've allowed them access to your computer and everything on it, and as I've said before, if someone has physical access to your computer, they have access to anything and everything on your computer.
At the other extreme are stories like the one related here: you could be under suspicion or held liable for the actions of others while they used your machine.
Just don't.
You may not have anything to worry about, legally (though, again, I don't know as I'm no lawyer), but at a minimum, the cost and inconvenience could be extreme.
As internet cafe owners world-wide will tell you, if you must do it set up a dedicated machine for public use, and make sure that everyone is clear on the limits of liability when that machine is used.
Related:
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Why is using Paypal to purchase at a conference or open market such a bad idea? Paypal is a fast and convenient way to pay someone from your computer. Using Paypal elsewhere, on someone else's computer, can be very, very dangerous.
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How do I keep my information on a shared computer private? When using a shared computer it's often easy for others to see your data or history. If you must use a shared computer, you need to protect yourself.
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How do I stay safe in an internet cafe? When connecting to the internet in an internet cafe, hotspot or other public connection you could be opening yourself up to serious security issues.
Article C3906 - October 25, 2009
Like others, I don't believe this story, but what I don't believe is that a real FBI agent, espeicallyone investigating a computer crime, would be so ignorant of computer operations as to take the monitor and speakers. They simply can not provide evidence.
Posted by: Chris Marlowe at October 27, 2009 6:19 PMwhy the h..l would any person take teenagers into the back of his building to allow them use his computer , he did say he was near a school and he was leaving himself wide open for all sorts of trouble , be it a sexual nature as in underage kids or teen porn on the internet. its like a saying we have here a burglar is only as good as his last job , when he is caught he is caught.
Posted by: pat harte at October 27, 2009 7:19 PMand then as another replier said FBI have badges, warrants and do sign off on equipment taken , If you give a computer to minors you are liable and should take responsibly for your actions, the best way to protect your self is allow no access to any 1or get a good IT company to set up a server that will auto renew the guest account and wipe it clean each time the computer starts up...
Re: "...take the monitor and speakers. They simply can not provide evidence." >> Fingerprints etc.
Posted by: Rosina at October 27, 2009 8:53 PMA] It could be as easy as Installing a set of Parental controls on your system ... under these Controls might be a password to not allow ANYONE access to illegal areas such as Child pornography or illegal drugs and other things... when you lock the computer at night you have cut off the criminal user's access to their area of crime because your password has not been given out...
B] you might enlist the help of a system administrator whom you know and trust to set this up for you.
In Windows XP and beyond there is a security level for sysadmin's to sign in ... he alone would have access to check for those illegal files and destroy them.
C] One could also do an FDISK to wipe out the hard drive Low-level format .. peridically [if you have the time a double run of FDISK and a double run of Format [Drive-Letter]: /s - This would eliminate All the files for sure
D] If you are really finicky go out and buy a new Terabyte hard Drive and perform the FDISK- Format the old drive and take a hammer to the old drive or burn it.. you must do a fdisk on the old drive too and use a security encryption program to mark ALL sectors with X and o's completely through the hard drive.... Forget about the FBI they are not the problem ... the real problem is the loss of your data files or someone allowing a virus to be downloaded with the porno files. I won't guess how many computers are infected with a dormant time released virus - that will attack your system this weekend ...
If you have sensitive data you may consider a backup that can be stored away from the computer in a LOCKED closet in your house ... and again you can get a lock with a combination lock ...
Posted by: David at October 27, 2009 10:36 PMHowever stupid and unbelievable the story: DO NOT, EVER, LET PEOPLE USE YOU COMPUTER WITHOUT PROTECTION!
Posted by: Linde at October 28, 2009 3:42 AMBe close or at least set up a password to protect against changes, installations etc..
Do no let kids (even your own) use the computer without tracking what they do. Be especially careful with "ISP-technicians" or "helpers", mostly young computer freaks, who will offer to "improve" your set-up or adjust it to your ISP. Watch what they are doing! If you do not understand what they are doing, ask until you do!
After all: It is you who is responsible for the computer. If you lend a kid your car and it crashes you are also responsible!
I know this is a forum for Windows user. However, as a former Windows user I would like to comment.
Posted by: Ingmar Forne at October 28, 2009 4:17 AMShortly: In my present OS (Linux) it is quite easy to separate users and their files. Every user that do not have adminstrative user rights is prevented from saving files anywhere else but in the users own file area. In windows, you can pretty much save a file almost anywhere you want on the hard drive, except under Documents and Settings user directories. But that requires that one explicitly protect these directories. In Linux they are protected by default.
I really don't know if I believe this man or not, it's not for me to judge. How many people actually fully believe this story? Yes, some kids play around, but as the owner of the PC involved, he is at least a little guilty, if nothing else, for criminally stupidity. I have one laptop that I allow company (that are trustworthy) to use on a GUEST account. After they leave, I use CCleaner to destroy the data (using the Guttman standard). Then I use Recuva to attempt to retrieve the files, then if I find any thing, it allows me to use the Guttman method to overwrite it. The Guttman method overwrites the data 35 times (the German standard). I even use CCleaner on a nightly basis to delete my own temp files, instead of the Windows temp file deleter. But back to the point. I hope this man didn't do wrong, but something tells me this man isn't 100% innocent. I just cant believe that anyone with any since at all would allow unlimited access to their PC (and a businessman at that!). His finances and everything is on this PC. I don't know about anyone else, but I wasn't born yesterday, and I don't believe any of Leo's readers are, either.
Posted by: Charles Tilley at October 28, 2009 10:20 PMWhy would you pay an attorney $5,000. to regain a $1,700. computer? Don't waste your money. You'll get it back eventually, but it may have the value of a doorstop by the time they get around to it.
31-Oct-2009
Posted by: David Pancoast at October 30, 2009 8:16 AM
I agree we must take all with a grain of salt, but I know people who pay no attention to what their kids, or their friends do on their computers. Not only do they not monitor what is being done on the computer, they don't even know how to turn it on and off. I know one woman who lost her computer when the Feds came and got it and her daughter's boyfriend, the kids thought they could print out money, and it was not even a good copy. If you think your teen is not looking at pornography, sending nude photos or downloading illegal music, you better be checking those fancy phones, and their computers, you just might be in for an unpleasant surprise.
Posted by: Margaret Louk at October 30, 2009 11:01 PMObviously it is a scam. Someone has stolen his expensive computer. What a mug!
Posted by: Edward at November 1, 2009 3:54 AM