Who May Be Listening To Your Computer

[Mr Lee]

Be advised that when you allow someone, be it your manufacturer, your service provider or other person of companies, to install remote software or you install it yourself, then others can then possible turn your computer web cam and microphone on and monitor your activities. I feel that as we get more and more into the technology age, that more invasions of privacy will happen by individuals that we thought we can trust and the many hackers who just happen to be out there looking to cause problems for people.An example I can give is, a friend of mine was the radio tech for a large police department and to show me how their emergency system worked, he told me to turn a radio off and count and then with his console he turned it back on and my voice was then coming out of his speakers. So that meant that any law enforcement agency or other companies that use similar radios could listen to their staff if they so decided to. Of course this software was in place in case an officer were to get themselves into trouble or if a radio was stolen, but as long as the battery was on the radio, someone who knew how could remotely turn it on, could if they wished to and that was not limited to just people within an agency, it was also available to hackers as this computer issue would also be. I cover my web cam and plug a dead jack into the microphone jack but I am over cautious and some have even accused me of being paranoid, but with too much knowledge comes these things and I have seen too many things that can be done during my life that many people never even dreamed of, so for me to just discount these issues and not be cautious would be crazy IMO. Has anyone else ever thought about these issues when giving someone access to their computer?FBI investigates after school district denies monitoring studentsLink to this story

[Jollygoodfellow]

Be advised that when you allow someone, be it your manufacturer, your service provider or other person of companies, to install remote software or you install it yourself, then others can then possible turn your computer web cam and microphone on and monitor your activities. I feel that as we get more and more into the technology age, that more invasions of privacy will happen by individuals that we thought we can trust and the many hackers who just happen to be out there looking to cause problems for people.An example I can give is, a friend of mine was the radio tech for a large police department and to show me how their emergency system worked, he told me to turn a radio off and count and then with his console he turned it back on and my voice was then coming out of his speakers. So that meant that any law enforcement agency or other companies that use similar radios could listen to their staff if they so decided to. Of course this software was in place in case an officer were to get themselves into trouble or if a radio was stolen, but as long as the battery was on the radio, someone who knew how could remotely turn it on, could if they wished to and that was not limited to just people within an agency, it was also available to hackers as this computer issue would also be. I cover my web cam and plug a dead jack into the microphone jack but I am over cautious and some have even accused me of being paranoid, but with too much knowledge comes these things and I have seen too many things that can be done during my life that many people never even dreamed of, so for me to just discount these issues and not be cautious would be crazy IMO. Has anyone else ever thought about these issues when giving someone access to their computer?FBI investigates after school district denies monitoring studentsLink to this story

You cover your web cam,lol I can hear the conversation now. You look really good today hon while you both stare at a black screen.Sorry could not resist. :AddEmoticons04230:

[Tom in Texas]

Be advised that when you allow someone, be it your manufacturer, your service provider or other person of companies, to install remote software or you install it yourself, then others can then possible turn your computer web cam and microphone on and monitor your activities. ***I cover my web cam and plug a dead jack into the microphone jack but I am over cautious and some have even accused me of being paranoid, ...Has anyone else ever thought about these issues when giving someone access to their computer?

HI Lee,At my law firm we had software that would allow our tech guru firm and our accountants to access information on our network... but... they had to first contact us by phone or email, let us know they wanted access, then we would key in and advise them of a new temporary password allowing them access. When they logged off, the password terminated.And... you're not paranoid... people are after you.Tom in Bid D

[Mr Lee]

Be advised that when you allow someone, be it your manufacturer, your service provider or other person of companies, to install remote software or you install it yourself, then others can then possible turn your computer web cam and microphone on and monitor your activities. ***I cover my web cam and plug a dead jack into the microphone jack but I am over cautious and some have even accused me of being paranoid, ...Has anyone else ever thought about these issues when giving someone access to their computer?

HI Lee,At my law firm we had software that would allow our tech guru firm and our accountants to access information on our network... but... they had to first contact us by phone or email, let us know they wanted access, then we would key in and advise them of a new temporary password allowing them access. When they logged off, the password terminated.And... you're not paranoid... people are after you.Tom in Bid D

Anything made by man can be overridden by man, those companies did not need your approval but they called to make you feel better and maybe even the workers were not aware of the back door but all software has back doors, how do you think hackers seem to get in all the time. One of my friends is one of the ethical hackers who works for one of the major companies and the things he can do amazes even me. The only computer that is impervious to outside hacking is one that is not connected to the Internet.Another example, another of my friends is a doctor and he has a girl at his office whose husband made him some music disc's, well low and behold someone has hacked his bank accounts twice now and transfered money off shore. I told him to stop using his computers and buy a new laptop to do his banking and his problems stopped. Inside hackers or outside hackers, once they have access then no one can stop them but an ethical hacker who works on the good side of hacking and tries to find the flaws and back doors before the bad hackers do. Oh, and they are out to get me, :AddEmoticons04230: I see a lot of familiar faces on here following me around. :23_11_60[2]:

[tropicalwaste]

There is a lot of "indirect" methods as well.. people dont realise screens give off radiation that can be picked up and read from what is on your screen outside of a building. People don't realise the holes and backdoors in software were already written before the products get released, people dont realise encryption methods which are "SECURE" are blocked from implimentation by government security agencies. What blinds a lot of people is the rubbish in Hollywood with its mythical methods like watching a satellite spin round the world into place.. The most common method of continous Satellite feed is via bouncing the signals off things like the moon or junk in space. The big question people should be asking is who is interested in me and why? When you get a "FREE" store/discount card its not for your benefit but your shopping habits they can learn from when your scanning your habits. Couple that with your address and they know how many people are in your house, age etc. to ideally target market you.. and people wonder why they get so many sales calls and leaflets.In movies etc. there is too much "direct" tracing where you will see a team of people looking for one person waiting for computers or a CCTV camera to pick something up. What isn't shown is all the back tracing that goes on if people know your eating/drinking habits as well as the ability to access your transactions etc. your not hard to find at all.The thing is like your saying with the mic and cam feed Mr.Lee people install things like that all time how often do people find spyware etc on PC's ? obviously most of it is after data but you never hear of the more serious access breaches but its just as easy to get the software spread. I was previously employed by Qinetiq which had an amnesty on hackers for one week to allow them to try and breach the security systems they operate on behalf of the M.O.D. (Ministry of Defence UK). If a company that is not only involved in the security of countries via its technology on and off the battlefield accepts it has holes in its computer systems and looking for the holes so it can plug them even after spending billions on it how much defence do you think a home computer has from a competent hacker?

[Mr Lee]

There is a lot of "indirect" methods as well.. people dont realise screens give off radiation that can be picked up and read from what is on your screen outside of a building. People don't realise the holes and backdoors in software were already written before the products get released, people dont realise encryption methods which are "SECURE" are blocked from implimentation by government security agencies. What blinds a lot of people is the rubbish in Hollywood with its mythical methods like watching a satellite spin round the world into place.. The most common method of continous Satellite feed is via bouncing the signals off things like the moon or junk in space. The big question people should be asking is who is interested in me and why? When you get a "FREE" store/discount card its not for your benefit but your shopping habits they can learn from when your scanning your habits. Couple that with your address and they know how many people are in your house, age etc. to ideally target market you.. and people wonder why they get so many sales calls and leaflets.In movies etc. there is too much "direct" tracing where you will see a team of people looking for one person waiting for computers or a CCTV camera to pick something up. What isn't shown is all the back tracing that goes on if people know your eating/drinking habits as well as the ability to access your transactions etc. your not hard to find at all.The thing is like your saying with the mic and cam feed Mr.Lee people install things like that all time how often do people find spyware etc on PC's ? obviously most of it is after data but you never hear of the more serious access breaches but its just as easy to get the software spread. I was previously employed by Qinetiq which had an amnesty on hackers for one week to allow them to try and breach the security systems they operate on behalf of the M.O.D. (Ministry of Defence UK). If a company that is not only involved in the security of countries via its technology on and off the battlefield accepts it has holes in its computer systems and looking for the holes so it can plug them even after spending billions on it how much defence do you think a home computer has from a competent hacker?

What do you mean by the sentence I have made bold and put in red? It might give people the wrong idea that I install spyware on their computer, which I do not and never have. I am pretty sure you meant to put a coma after Mr. Lee and then it would not infer that I do that. :AddEmoticons04230:

[Singers]

There is a lot of "indirect" methods as well.. people dont realise screens give off radiation that can be picked up and read from what is on your screen outside of a building. People don't realise the holes and backdoors in software were already written before the products get released, people dont realise encryption methods which are "SECURE" are blocked from implimentation by government security agencies. What blinds a lot of people is the rubbish in Hollywood with its mythical methods like watching a satellite spin round the world into place.. The most common method of continous Satellite feed is via bouncing the signals off things like the moon or junk in space. The big question people should be asking is who is interested in me and why? When you get a "FREE" store/discount card its not for your benefit but your shopping habits they can learn from when your scanning your habits. Couple that with your address and they know how many people are in your house, age etc. to ideally target market you.. and people wonder why they get so many sales calls and leaflets.In movies etc. there is too much "direct" tracing where you will see a team of people looking for one person waiting for computers or a CCTV camera to pick something up. What isn't shown is all the back tracing that goes on if people know your eating/drinking habits as well as the ability to access your transactions etc. your not hard to find at all.The thing is like your saying with the mic and cam feed Mr.Lee people install things like that all time how often do people find spyware etc on PC's ? obviously most of it is after data but you never hear of the more serious access breaches but its just as easy to get the software spread. If a company that is not only involved in the security of countries via its technology on and off the battlefield accepts it has holes in its computer systems and looking for the holes so it can plug them even after spending billions on it how much defence do you think a home computer has from a competent hacker?

Hi,Some weeks ago I deleted the "Remote Desktop" application from my MAC's having just read on an Apple forum how Malware can "find and access" this Application. Checked and rechecked and yes "Remote Desktop" was gone. ByeBye I said at the time - smugly?.I have since run the automatic Apple Software Update AND checked each item listed as to whether I wanted it or not.Prompted by this thread and TropicalPen's input I again checked my HD for "Remote" software ............. Remote Desktop" WAS BACK.!!It was not under Applications , as previously, BUT in an innocuously titled folder "RDC HELP" there IT was "Remote Desktop Connection".?? ?? ?? So I must check after each S/W update in future.! and delete if found. No doubt there is something else in "there" I do not know about?.RDC Folder on my MacBookPro had 10 files in RDC Help.My older MacBook RDC Folder had more than 20 files (now deleted) and the Application dates from 2004!!!UK Tom Edited March 8, 2010 by Singers

[tropicalwaste]

Mr.Lee wasn't accusing you of being the installer lol.. just reinforcing the fact your right..Singers.. there are always loop holes and the big companies are probably the worst people for abusing peoples trust. Microsoft for example install so much stuff we don't want onto our systems and try to enforce its brand upon us. But what do they get upto behind our backs? we know how irritating they are with what they admit.. and like you said with your Mac it put the remote help back even after removal and didnt request if you wanted it or not. I find the same issue with "Genuine software checking". The way I look at it if there is pirate software out there that is affecting a companies brand etc. and the company thinks it has a right to mess around with my system then I think they have gone from selling software to demanding money. A typical example of this going badly wrong is with Toshiba Laptops which had a strange installation agreement with Microsoft. I have genuine keys for a version of XP Pro yet microsoft don't entertain the thought.. after reinstalling my vista on another Toshiba laptop earlier this year I was looking through things online and discovered people were having the same issue of "fake" or non compliant keys with Vista on Toshiba Laptops.. Which only comes down to the companies yet funny enough they make it our problem?? Getting off tangent again..lol point being don't rely on security on a PC.

[Singers]

Mr.Lee wasn't accusing you of being the installer lol.. just reinforcing the fact your right..Singers.. there are always loop holes and the big companies are probably the worst people for abusing peoples trust. Microsoft for example install so much stuff we don't want onto our systems and try to enforce its brand upon us. But what do they get upto behind our backs? we know how irritating they are with what they admit.. and like you said with your Mac it put the remote help back even after removal and didnt request if you wanted it or not. I find the same issue with "Genuine software checking". The way I look at it if there is pirate software out there that is affecting a companies brand etc. and the company thinks it has a right to mess around with my system then I think they have gone from selling software to demanding money. A typical example of this going badly wrong is with Toshiba Laptops which had a strange installation agreement with Microsoft. I have genuine keys for a version of XP Pro yet microsoft don't entertain the thought.. after reinstalling my vista on another Toshiba laptop earlier this year I was looking through things online and discovered people were having the same issue of "fake" or non compliant keys with Vista on Toshiba Laptops.. Which only comes down to the companies yet funny enough they make it our problem?? Getting off tangent again..lol point being don't rely on security on a PC.

Hi TropicalPen,I used to do "a run" to Inn's worthth'ing -- Just for the beer you know... in mid 60's from Hereford for "signals" (Traffic lights now?!!) and what was available?? then was not in Films for 15+ years. The security aspect I am concerned about is personal, family and financial. A S'Pore acquaintance , 2003, lost