Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with spying

My roommate has been watching what I do online- help!

Anonymous — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 19:17:43 -0800

My roommate has been watching what I do online- help! We are (were?) pretty good friends despite only knowing each other about a year.

As part of an argument, he made an angry reference to my blog, and quoted it. I have never told ANYONE about my blog, NO identifying details are connected to it, and until he said that I didn't know anyone but me had ever looked at it (I mostly just write gibberish there, sometimes I rant about things but again, with NO identifying details).

I asked him how he knew about it and he said "I know everything that goes through my network."

I know he was telling the truth because I had made some of my posts from school, and he pointed out which ones I had made from home.

I know absolutely nothing about computers. I know how to turn it on and use Firefox, and that's it. As far as what kind of network we have, all I know is that it's wireless and he has his own server.

Now I'm completely freaked out. I have no idea as to exactly what he can see. Can he read every email I send? Can he see every website that I go to?

Is there any way to block him from seeing what I do? Is there any way *I* can see what *he* does?

Moving out is not an option for several months.

I'm not afraid of him and he's not usually this weird, I just hate the idea that someone can completely spy on me like this.

Are there any examples of East German wifes informing on their husbands for Stasi?

Kattullus — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 07:50:11 -0800

In a critique of Das Leben der Anderen (The Lives of Others) Slavoj Žižek asserts that "in all known cases of a married couple where a spouse betrayed a partner, it was always a man who became an informant." Famously, Ulrich Mühe, star of Das Leben der Anderen, asserted that his ex-wife spied on him for Stasi, though both the ex-wife and her supposed Stasi superior denied this. Other than that case, are there any examples of East German wifes informing on their husbands for Stasi?

Searching for Schuster

king walnut — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:00:00 -0800

Looking for a segment composed by MSNBC's David Schuster in which he compiles a montage of clips showing Bush repeatedly insisting he would get warrants before eavesdropping on phone calls of American citizens. It was aired just before the big FISA circumvention story broke. Used to be on YouTube, but I can't find it now. Surely it's around somewhere?

Office security

curiousleo — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 13:59:08 -0800

Office Security - How do I record/monitor our office computers? We have about 8 PCs and 3 new Macs in our office.
Since we have deal with some sensitive data files, we would like to be able to monitor our computers. Is there any free or low cost solution for such purpose?

We mainly concern about usb drives, unauthorized uploading, and other illlegal activities through our computers in the office.

We won't be able to monitor every moment of the computer use.... but we would like to retroactively check on computer use after any illegal activities such as someone uploading sensitive files to their email or web drives.. and/or some one downloading sensitive files to their ipods or usb drives...

We do not have actual server, but we are suppose to use one shared drive and not save any data to individual computers..

Is Big Sister Watching?

Anonymous — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 18:05:10 -0800

I have been searching the site but have not found my specific situation. I would like to know if there is a way to tell that you are being video or audio recorded at work. Not on the computer, just in general. I work in a retail store and the boss has made comments over the past year about having cameras but then said she was "just joking". She tends to be paranoid and she's not in the store a lot. She also has this thing where she seems to know about stuff that's going on but not in an obvious enough way for us to know she hears or sees us in the store. She makes remarks about intuition and being "a little psychic". Previous employees really thought she was spying and no one currently working there would be surprised, based on her personality. I know it's probably legal but I just want to know *if* she's doing it and how we can find out. Maybe we're just paranoid too. Appreciate any input!

How did he get my email password?

Anonymous — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 07:56:17 -0800

Husband admits spying on me by reading my emails, looking at deleted files, etc. He says he's stopped, but how can I tell for sure by checking my computer? Give answers for the most computer-unsophiticated. I am assuming he used some type of key logger since he was able to get my passwords. I had suspected as much and tried to search the computer, but being very un-computer saavy (basically just looking through all the programs), I couldn't find anything unusual, so I just asked him. At first he denied it but then later, in a counseling session, admitted he had been doing it but had already stopped. He has not been willing to tell me how he did it. I'd love to simply trust him again but that is pretty much shot and I'd love to know for sure what's on my computer. Is that even possible? Wouldn't most spying software be extremely hidden? How could I conduct a search? I use Windows XP on both a desktop and a laptop, both Sonys, if that matters.

And no, I don't have anything special to hide, but I do enjoy having some semblance of privacy when it comes to my email. I haven't even bothered changing my passwords because if he got them once, he would get them again.

And yes, I see the irony of this as I type it on my home computer.

Does that doorbell sound mean work is watching me?

chinese_fashion — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 13:48:36 -0800

Am I being spied on at work? IT got into my computer last week and now I hear a little doorbell sound whenever I visit a website that does not belong to the company ... I needed to have more memory installed on my (incredibly slow) computer last week, and had to have IT connect remotely. When the IT guy was done "cleaning things up", I noticed that my computer makes a doorbell sound whenever I visit a not-explicitly-work-related site. He came around to install some memory, and I asked him about it -- if looking for directions, checking gmail was a security violation, or what was up.

He claimed he had no idea, said to try the same thing in Explorer (am using Firefox.) Explorer didn't do it. But this is driving me nuts and making me so paranoid.

I work in the Web group at a large nonprofit and there's a LOT of downtime. I'm not sure what to think here, but it's freaking me out. What say you, MeFites?

The most Libertarian place on Earth

clango — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:11:28 -0800

If I really wanted to "live free or die," what country/city/region is my best option? Assuming a normal human life with normal services* without purchasing a farm, where does a person on Earth have the most rights? (Electricity, running water, food, internet)

I can hear you typing...

disillusioned — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 22:42:54 -0800

Hi-tech key and datalogging: What crazy methods for remotely monitoring datastreams have you heard of? I was talking to a friend about something related to keystroke monitoring, and I remembered hearing that some people had developed a proof of concept on monitoring keystrokes by their auditory signature—the sound of the user typing could be correlated to their keystokes based on frequency.

I also have heard of users being able to monitor LED light activity on an Ethernet interface to decode the data being sent...

And I think I saw something about being able to tap the EMI signal from a VGA cable, but I think the last two are nearly complete bullshit.

Can anyone cite any sources for those three methods? Or list any other crazy methods?

Many thanks!

How to detect sneaky installs on a Mac

Anonymous — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 18:40:14 -0800

Is there any way for me to tell if someone has installed software on my Macbook, like a keyboard logger, without my knowledge? I'm a bit of a Mac newbie, and I'm pretty sure my roomie is looking at my email to see if I've been corresponding with his ex-girlfriend (which I have NOT been doing, for what it's worth).

Yes, I'm reading your email...

tdreyer1 — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 13:59:46 -0800

I need a good email monitoring program for my workplace. My workplace is having problems with employees giving vital information to one of our competitors, and it is hurting the company. I was asked by my boss ( as I am the resident geek ) to find a program ( not a network device ) that we can install on a computer to see what an individual is emailing. We don't necessarily need to keep track of incoming email, just outgoing. We are using Windows machines with Win2000 on them and we use Earthlink email with Outlook Express. Free would be great, but we can pay, so all suggestions are welcome. If we can access the data from another computer on the network, that would also be helpful. The program needs to be completely transparent so the individual won't know. Also, practical tips for keeping it from being found & removed by antivirus/antispyware programs would be nice. Thanks!

NSA Surveillance in Las Vegas for Extortion

destro — Thu, 17 May 2007 13:20:13 -0800

Was there a story a year or two back about Patriot Act/NSA/FBI surveillance in Las Vegas being used for extortion against a casino? I distinctly remember something about it but can't find anything.

Password skullduggery?

Heminator — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 07:06:59 -0800

A friend of mine might be being spied on... A friend of mine's Hotmail password mysteriously stopped working one day a few weeks back. After some concerted effort she got the Hotmail administrators' attention and got a new passord. She logged into the account once and after that the password again ceased working.

So she then opened a Gmail account this time while trying to sort out the ongoing hotmail account issues. The password on the Gmail account then promptly stopped working after logging in to it just once.

What's going on here? Could this be a technical snafu? Also, my friend is a not-unknown writer in Hollywood which is adding to my paranoia, what with the industry's not torious lack of ethics and the Anthony Pelicanos wiretap scandal. Could someone be using a keylogger program or some other underhanded trick to mess with her? Not that she has any enemies I know of...

Reverse Rosenberg

Mr. Six — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 20:13:40 -0800

How many US citizens (including, but not limited to, employees of US espionage) lost their lives, careers or had family members hurt or killed as a direct or indirect result of Valerie Plame's cover status being blown? I hear different numbers, from zero on up. I'm curious to know if there is impartial substantive or circumstantial evidence that suggests citizens other than Plame were adversely affected by her outing. This may include "civilians" who were killed by domestic or overseas terrorist, NGO or government activities that could have been prevented by not outing a covert agent.

The opposite of a pardon?

ontic — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 09:25:29 -0800

Say that a (US) presidential administration was doing something it wasn't supposed to be doing. Could a future presidential administration find this out and prosecute the former administration's officials? I'm interested in the theoretical question, but a realistic situation would be that the next administration finds out that domestic spying powers were actually being used on political opponents, journalists, or other non-terrorists.

It seems like if this were possible that it would have happened before in US history. Perhaps even if it was possible, the political ramifications would be awful? Perhaps retribution would be feared? Perhaps there is a sort of "former president" club or understanding?

How to effectively, intelligently protest warrantless wiretapping?

Ash3000 — Mon, 13 Feb 2006 17:27:51 -0800

Say you wanted to organize a protest re: Bush's warrantless wiretapping... So I'm part of a group which is attempting, in the next two months, to put together a protest of the warrantless NSA domestic spying. I can't quite tell you what we want it to be, but I can tell you what we don't want it to be: your standard rally, i.e. trite, obvious, easy to ignore/eyeroll. Instead, we want something that'll attract attention (media or otherwise) to our group, the issue and what can be done about it in a reasonable, non-extremist manner...all while being creative, inventive, thought-provoking, preferably visually arresting, etc. To give an idea of the sort of event/conceit we're aiming for, it's generally agreed that the Frist filibuster at Princeton was downright brilliant, for all sorts of reasons.

So, any suggestions?

what the hell is happening to this country?

brandz — Mon, 26 Dec 2005 18:20:16 -0800

there are, at least to my mind, many nefarious things going on in this country, at all levels. i recently voiced a specific complaint to a friend of mind. his reply was 'this is the way the 'man' wants it.' who is this 'man' anyway?

Playing Magnum P.I.

Anonymous — Sun, 25 Dec 2005 23:24:13 -0800

Distilled: I want to know how to legally gather information on somebody. Expounded: Many moons ago, my parents had a serious row with infidelity when my stepfather admitted to a long-term affair. After much counseling, they were able to save their 15 year marriage, and in time seemed closer and happier than ever before. It was the sort of story that gave people some hope for humanity and renewed faith in the ability of people to make good. Now -- 8 years later -- the specter rears its head again... Here's the lowdown:
My mother began to get suspicious that my father was cheating again when he got direct deposit at his job, and she noticed that the deposits on their bank statement just listed as "ATM Deposit," while hers from her job listed the company.

She busted out the calculator, did a bit of math, and came to the conclusion that there was significantly less money in their account than should be for the number of hours my father was working.

Both being in the medical industry (he's a CRNA, she's a hospice nurse), they don't keep regular work schedules -- which makes it difficult to know when the other should be home without trusting what they say. However, she knows his rate, and the number of hours, and it wasn't adding up.

She found out that he had a PO Box that she was unaware of to which he was sending bills for a second mobile phone.

She logged on to their mobile service website (he usually took care of the bills, and did it all online), and found that for the past few months since she started her new job, he had made several calls and text messages to numbers that she didn't recognize -- numbers that were for unlisted mobile phones.

She asked me to help her out some, so I used some Google-fu to see what I could find about the numbers, and what I found made me ill. Several were for local strip clubs, and some were for escort agencies and independent escorts. Many more, I could find nothing about.

Ok, so now that the masses are filled in, the dilemma is thus: How to catch him without outside help? She has enough info that, given the past, she wants a divorce. However, she wants as much concrete info on paper about his activities as she can get, prior to going to a lawyer. She feels that he won't be honest if she just confronts him about what she's uncovered so far.

So how can she go about gathering information? What resources are there for looking up cell phone owners, for spouses accessing PO Boxes, etcetera? What are the suggestions from any MeFites who may be in the legal or law enforcement professions? Or private investigators?

She doesn't have a lot of cash to spend, and wants to handle most of her detective work herself.

Yeah, it's been a swell xmas.

someone's reading my email!!!

busboy789 — Thu, 24 Mar 2005 14:23:28 -0800

stop reading my email filter; I type an email, I send said email to person X, I immediately delete said email from sent folder, and I delete said email from the deleted folder. I can no longer see said email. Now the fun begins! Fast forward 24 hours. Person Y tells me that he is looking at my screen and said email and can quote from email. My info; logged into company network on a Win XPpro machine. Email and my screen seen by person Y outside my company's network. At one point in time this person did have access to my login information to network and my email password.

multipronged question; how could this have been done, how are they looking at deleted files, how hard was this for them to do, and can I prevent this from happening again?