Personal computer security

[Brissy1]

I did a silly thing yesterday. Been renting for 6months and have mostly moved out, but still have a computer there connected to nbn. After the open inspection found my computer had been turned on. I'll Google how to check remote access hasn't been granted. Only passwords "remembered" by computer are the email accounts.
Any suggestions what else to check?

 

[Hvr]

Has spyware been installed? And were your files copied? No idea how to check either of these things but it's possible that it's happened.

Change the email passwords now.

 

[Daver6]

Turned on in itself isn't a big deal. What you want to know is did someone log in? If not, then the risk is minimal.

 

[serfty]

Any suggestions what else to check?

Turned on in itself isn't a big deal. What you want to know is did someone log in? If not, then the risk is minimal.

If it is a windows 10 machine, try the following:

-Open Start.
-Type "EventVwr"*
-When the Event Viewer App Icon shows, click Run As Administrator. (If the admin. option is not present, right click on the Icon)
-After it opens, Open the following path: Event Viewer > Windows Logins > Security.
-Once populated, Select "Filter Current Log"
-Replace "<All Event ID's>" with the 4624 ID number, (indicates a successful sign-in event).
-Review the time stamps.

(*if earlier version of Windows, open an Administrator MS-DOS Command prompt and enter "eventvwr")

 

[Brissy1]

Turned on in itself isn't a big deal. What you want to know is did someone log in? If not, then the risk is minimal.

What if, say, one was so slack that I they didn't set login password, to save having to log in every time

 

[Brissy1]

If it is a windows 10 machine, try the following:

-Open Start.
-Type "EventVwr"*
-When the Event Viewer App Icon shows, click Run As Administrator. (If the admin. option is not present, right click on the Icon)
-After it opens, Open the following path: Event Viewer > Windows Logins > Security.
-Once populated, Select "Filter Current Log"
-Replace "<All Event ID's>" with the 4624 ID number, (indicates a successful sign-in event).
-Review the time stamps.

(*if earlier version of Windows, open an Administrator MS-DOS Command prompt and enter "eventvwr")

Great thanks. I've disconnected and packed it up now so will do that before reconnecting. Win7.

 

[Daver6]

What if, say, one was so slack that I they didn't set login password, to save having to log in every time

Yikes!

Would someone be able to fire up your web browser and access your accounts or is your password manager at least password protected?

During a home open, it would be pretty ballsy for someone to walk in and start messing around, installing key loggers etc. I mean how would they even know to come prepared. If someone really wanted to be sneaky, all they'd need to do is plug in a usb drive and leave it there. When you log in next time (and don't notice the USB drive) it could do nasty things.

I still think the risk is low (assuming firing up your web browser isn't giving access to logins). IF you want to be 100% safe, then wipe the drive and re-install Windows.

Great thanks. I've disconnected and packed it up now so will do that before reconnecting. Win7.

Ok, just saw this. You want to get rid of Windows 7 too. It's well past end of life and will have security vulnerabilities.

 

[clifford]

Windows 7 too. It's well past end of life and will have security vulnerabilities.

But only if you let it. However, log on security is pretty basic with any OS really, but maybe you can save a couple of seconds in your day without it (and suffer any consequences).

I wouldn't go near Win10 on my main computers, but happy to have my partner use it.

 

[Daver6]

But only if you let it. However, log on security is pretty basic with any OS really, but maybe you can save a couple of seconds in your day without it (and suffer any consequences).

I'm not understanding what you mean by the bolder bit.

 

[TheRealTMA]

But only if you let it. However, log on security is pretty basic with any OS really, but maybe you can save a couple of seconds in your day without it (and suffer any consequences).

I wouldn't go near Win10 on my main computers, but happy to have my partner use it.

Windows 10 is fine. Windows 11 is a nightmare.

If anyone can’t be bothered to enable some secure login, password, face, fingerprint, then just encrypt the drive (bit locker is good enough) and use a plug in USB key as the encryption key. Very simple to use. If anyone steals the machine (without the USB key) even if they take out the drive it is encrypted and not accessible without the encryption key.

 

[serfty]

Great thanks. I've disconnected and packed it up now so will do that before reconnecting. Win7.

I agree with "yikes".

Ok, fire up any internet browser you you have installed and check history (ALT+H).

 

[Daver6]

I agree with "yikes".

Ok, fire up any internet browser you you have installed and check history (ALT+H).

Wouldn't be hard to cover one's tracks and delete the relevant browsing history though.

 

[serfty]

Wouldn't be hard to cover one's tracks and delete the relevant browsing history though.

Sure, but it's always worth checking.