What is OPSCAN.LGC ? I found it in my windows applog. More
importantant then that, I have a friend
who helps me fix major problems with my computer, He sends me files to
install, and guides me through my entire system over the phone. He
sends me a lot of attachments, e-mails and little programs that are
suposed to improve my system. He lives on the other side
of the country, could he be accessing my computer and looking throught
my files without my knowledge? We are not networking and this would
acount for some strange coincidenes that have occured. If it is
possible, how do I detect and respond? A full and complete explanation
would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, John |
Request for Question Clarification by
politicalguru-ga
on
04 Jan 2005 15:00 PST
Dear John,
The answer to your question, without knowing your computer, your
friend, or the programmes installed on your computers is yes, in
theory (but of course, without knowing more, it would be hard to
tell).
However, regarding that file: do you have a scanner? This is a log
file for that scanner.
I suggest, if you're concerned, that you'll start by downloading and
using Spybot - it could discover if you have any spyware (programmes
that could apy on your computer usage) and eliminate them:
Spybot - search and destroy
<http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html>
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Request for Question Clarification by
cynthia-ga
on
04 Jan 2005 17:11 PST
The short ansswer, as politicalguru points out is YES. In my opinion,
you will need a lot more than Spybot to determine whether this has, in
fact happened. There are stealth programs around that normal scanning
simply won't locate. If you are having, as you say having "major
problems," why not reformat the hard drive and start over? Then, IF
he was snooping around in your computer, he certainly WON'T be
anymore. Then, change all your Internet passwords. If you don't do
this, you will never know for sure.
Why is this guy helping you so much?
What is your level of computer expertise?
What is your operating system?
How do you connect to the Internet?
Do you have a Windows OS CD?
It's not all that hard to do, you'd just have to back up all your
important files first.
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Clarification of Question by
john50-ga
on
04 Jan 2005 17:33 PST
Hello, Yes, I have spybot,addaware,spyblaster and Norton; all supplied
by Mr Fix it (my friend). I also do have a HP Scanner, but it's not
used much. I update all my computers security programs weekly and do
full system scans and defrags every other week. There is no Top
Secret info on my computer, just personal stuff. So you said Yes, but.
If there is any other info I can give you, please let me know. I
would like to get to the bottom of this and understand how to
recognize the signs. Note: I do not want to know how to do it (spy),
Just know how to stop it or know when it's happening. My first
experience with a computer was when I got mine 2 years ago, so I'm no
guru. My Friend seems to enjoy 4 & 5 hour help sessions on the phone
where he saves me from the boogyman so to say. But he has sliped a
few times and told me about my problem before I told him I had one.
This is the first time I have asked anyone else about something to do
with my computer.
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Clarification of Question by
john50-ga
on
04 Jan 2005 19:04 PST
He helps alot of people, I've known him over 30 years, he is bored.
I'm no guru, just get by, but have a good understanding of how things work.
I use Windows ME
I Have high speed internet.
Yes I should have my window OP SYS CD
I would normally ask him, how to back up files.
On one hand, this could just be a good deal for me, he gets his ego
trip being the Guru, and I get great free unlimited service on my
computer. On the other hand, If he's snooping or playing games, it's
just not worth it to me. I'd rather pay!
|
Request for Question Clarification by
cynthia-ga
on
04 Jan 2005 21:07 PST
john,
I'm trying to help you, but you need to answer questions.
In my request above, I asked these questions:
1) Why is this guy helping you so much?
2) What is your level of computer expertise?
3) What is your operating system?
4) How do you connect to the Internet?
5) Do you have a Windows OS CD?
I now have 2 more:
6) How well do you know this person. What I mean is, did you meet
this person on the Internet?
7) What kind of computer do you have? (Processor speed, RAM, HD
Space, and do you have broadband?
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Request for Question Clarification by
cynthia-ga
on
04 Jan 2005 21:09 PST
Wow, I missed that post, anyway, look over my questions and please
answer anything not answered. I will be back tonight.
|
Request for Question Clarification by
cynthia-ga
on
04 Jan 2005 21:10 PST
Another question:
8) Are you running Norton?
|
Clarification of Question by
john50-ga
on
04 Jan 2005 23:13 PST
Cynthia,
I have a Dell 40 Gig, 384 MB RAM, Intel P-3 and High Speed Cable
(that's what they call it, I think it's the same as Broadband).
I also have Spy Bot, Adaware, Spy Blaster, and Norton. I update all
of them including Windows every week. I Also run full system scans on
all programs every other week, including a complete computer disk
clean, scan and defrag.
No to the internet thing. We are buddys, but I don't react well to
wealthy ego maniacs. Are friendship has always just been 95% phone
and now computer issues that I have which seem to give him a chance to
flex his brain waves. He's an alright guy, but I think maybe a little
on the snoopy side. I could be completly wrong. But things have
happened that are strange. For instence I cruise along with my system
just fine, sometimes I even help others mainly with maintanence
issues. But then my system has a heart attack and I get a call, so
how's your computer running? He gladly spends 3, 4 sometimes more
hours going place's in this thing I didn't know exsist. When it's
over, I'm all set and he's the Man. but I think I may be missing
something. Are you having fun yet!
Thanks for the help so far, John
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Request for Question Clarification by
cynthia-ga
on
04 Jan 2005 23:24 PST
Hi john,
Run the scan at this link, and if all is well, run the others and post back.
Sygate's Trojan Scan
http://scan.sygate.com/pretrojanscan.html
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Clarification of Question by
john50-ga
on
05 Jan 2005 10:27 PST
Hello Cyinthia,
I ran all of the scans availible. They were unable to penetrate
my system with my firewall on. I also ran all the scans with my
firewall off as they asked, with normal results I guess. What's the
purpose of that?
John
|
Request for Question Clarification by
cynthia-ga
on
05 Jan 2005 11:16 PST
John,
Having passed those scans, it's coming down to a judgment call.
Either you trust this person, or you don't. The scans are not
infallible, but they are very good. Here are some more questions.
9) Does your friend do anything online where the clandestine use of
your computer would benefit him?
10) Has he bragged about "using drones" or spoofing IP addresses, or
trojans? If so, did he quit bragging or talking about that kind of
thing when he started "helping" you?
11) Can you give examples of programs/names he has suggested you use?
Who goes to the Internet and gets these programs? Or, does he just
send you files via IM that you install?
12) How many times have these "coincidences" occured? And how long
after your computer has a "heart attack" does he call? Minutes,
Hours, 1 Day. More than one day? More than a week?
13) Also, right click on your C-Drive icon in My Computer, and tell
us how many Gigs of space you have left?
14) Have you noticed at any time that your computer seems "busy" when
it should be idle, and it's not "scheduled tasks?"
15) Do you leave your computer on, and online: 24/7, and if YES, is
that because he recommended you do so?
16) Do you give him actual control via Remote Access, or just follow
his instructions? Do you know what some of these places he goes
inside your system are called?
17) When he rescues you, does he tell you what was wrong and how to
avoid it in the future, or is it always something mysterious?
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Clarification of Question by
john50-ga
on
07 Jan 2005 03:48 PST
Hi Cynthia,
Sorry for the delayed responce. I will answer each of your Questions.
#9. Only if snooping in my life rocks his boat.
#10. No, Never.
#11. He sends me many different files through my e-mail.
#12. Many times. He has called at least three times on the same day
and within hours of my crash. Also, Many Many times I have gone on my
computer after being out of town for a few days and I go into my
Outlook Express, press send recive, get my e-mails, (all of them) and
as I'm going through them, bam there he is sending me e-mail jokes or
what ever. I check the sent time and it's with in 5 or 10 minutes of
when I went on line, as if he new I just sat down and booted my
computer. Also, there have been times that before I take off on a
trip, I disconnect the power to my cable modem, and pull the Main
power plug in the back of my tower, upon my return, I reconnect,
boot-up collect my e-mails and within a few minutes the phone rings
and he seems aggravated and to curiuos as to the circumstances of my
where abouts, and has even asked if I unpluged my computer. Chynthia,
keep in mind, this guy is 59, I'm 49 and I go along with his bull Most
all times. He has a very safe assumtion that I am clueless to any of
his under cover "I AM BATMAN" attitude. If you let someone tell you
there bullsh/t stories without ever calling them on it, before you
know it they are telling you they went moon on a secret mission for
the CIA. LOL Then you know where they stand for real.
#13. 18.9 Gigs
#14. Yes, I do all maintenece manually and my tower is on my desk to
my right not quite 2' away. Many times it starts doing it's clicking
and thinking noises, I can actually tell when I'm getting an e-mail as
it is coming in and if it is large or small. But there are times when
I'm sitting there watching TV and the tower starts talken, I just sit
there and think I'm getting a lot of mail or somthing, but then when I
go to check, No Mail. Then I usally ask myself what the hell was that
all about.
#15. No, I don't leave it on unless I know I'm going to be going on
it within 2 or 3 hours. I try to turn it on and off as little as
possible at the same time I don't let it run for no reason. I know
people who love to leave their machines on 24/7, but then I'm sure
they don't know anything about bearings, heat, rpms and general ware.
I don't like buying hard drives.
#16. No, He just walks me through over the phone, I'm under the
impresstion that he is on his system which is {ME} and navigating that
way. We have been in my registry, Bios, he has had me enter DOS
commands, trust me when I say we have been everywhere!
#17. Well, there is a lot of over-kill checking and rechecking. But
in the end most things unless painfully obvious are Mysterious.
Plenty of times I have tryed to ask him what is this for or what is
that for, he does not like that and avoids explanation, he says becuse
where to busy to worry about that.
Cynthia, Like I have said in the past, I have a colorful life, some of
which is on my computer, However, having said that, I truly belive
that if he is snooping, it's just for his own entertainmet, but hey, I
could be wrong.
Wow, that was a big one, Thanks for your time thus far, John
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Request for Question Clarification by
cynthia-ga
on
07 Jan 2005 05:05 PST
John,
The reason I'm asking all these questions is because I had an online
stalker about 4 years ago. It was devestating. Fromthe answer to
your questions, I think there is a possibility that your friend has
installed some sort of program to amuse himself. I know of an
excellent keylogger, I refuse to help it become more known by linking
to it here, that gets by every trojan scan known to man, every virus
checker, every anti-spyware application, etc. If this keylogger was
installed on your computer, your friend would have access to anything
you type, including user names and passwords. It can be set to email
the recipient at any interval. Say it's 4 times a day. If your
computer was unplugged, he couldn't receive the reports in his email.
At the moment you boot up, your computer would "catch up" and email
what it had not: and he would be alerted you had gone online. It is
nearly impossible to remove.
If this is the case: because you have used your computer when you came
here and asked these questions, he is aware you suspect him. He may
have already been reading this exchange.
I would be spooked. I'd back up all my important files and images,
and reformat my hard drive. Then, I would never ask him for help
again. I know several web sites that can assist you for free. They
have helped me many times. I use this wonderful web site:
Virtual Dr.
http://www.virtualdr.com
If you use this site, be sure to only take advice from folks that are
long time members, specifically, make sure they joined before the date
I posted this here. Capish?
It's still your call. I gave you my opinion: Reformat.
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Clarification of Question by
john50-ga
on
07 Jan 2005 12:32 PST
Well Cynthia,
I hear what your saying, you have made your point well.
Somehow through I'm just not feeling very spooked. I'm more than
convinced at this poit that this has been going on for some time.
It's sad, but my so called buddy ERNIE is a small and quite harmless
individual, After looking closly at my life, the poor man must be
feeling very small. Maybe that's why he chooses to be up late fixing
my computer and others, rather than spending the time in bed with his
wife!
I will be in his neck of the country this June, to see my
daughter get her Diploma. Maybe I'll just stop by and pay him a vist,
Thinking, Thinking, Nah I'm better than that!! So I guess if my
computer crashs becuse I've failed to call him in a while, I may have
to re-Think that! \In the mean time, I'll do my backups and go about
enjoying my life. Chinthia, I'm not going to sweat him, computers are
a dime a dozen. But you my dear have been more than a pleasure to
talk with. I consider my question answered, and I thank you very much
for your time and input. I guess this place is about as Public as it
gets, to bad.. It's also to bad that some people in this world will
always find a way to ruin a good thing. Computers don't just wake up
one day and dicide to invade other computers, People do... I wish you
good health, continued success, and a happy new year. Thank you very
much! John
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