Protect my private infomation form administrator

I work from home, and the administrator of the network 5 computers in total plus one server, happens to be going into my private details like my bank my email boxes. It seems he has found a way to collect all my private data like pin codes for my bank for my hotmail, and my yahoo boxes.

MEANING NOTHING IS confidential.

I have no idea if this is the right place to be posting this complaint but I read hacker somewhere so this means You might be able to advise me to stop this intruder to my private infomation.

Please dont tell me to unplug from the net work I would not have a clue how to do that.

If anybody has a suggestion please do so in layman terms. My computer knowledge is only very basic.

And no I am not asking anybody to commit an illegal transaction.

Just some advice and info.

Thanks Odette:fpissed:

How do you know your admin is harvesting all this data?

If you're on a company PC, stay off of personal sites, such as the bank
sites. Any company has a right to track their users on their equipment.
But that doesn't mean they can necessarily do what they want with
harvested data though. In my experience, it's often difficult to tell
precisely what admins (or hackers) are doing on any given PC.

Use your own PC for online transactions. When you're done, run an app
like Ccleaner, which will delete any temp files, such as passwords and
cookies, storing sensitive data. You might also run netstat, or a similar
app, listing any current connections a computer might be making with
other computers. You'll need an app like Sam Spade to run "whois" on
the ip addresses netstat turns up. If you're a newbie, that might be a
bit much.

FYI.

I'd agree there - step 1 is to avoid doing things like banking on a work network.

I'd also agree that it should be rather difficult to intercept PINs and passwords with anything other than a keylogger. Heck, the latest (non-viral) keylogger I used actually doesn't log passwords. I watched someone log on, got their username but not the password. I presume it doesn't log any field marked as password.

The Administrator is my Partner, He is my partner in Business and Home. And this is why I am so Mad it is my private computer. So you suggest I look on the net for a cleaner and Sam Spade to run "whois".

Yes I am a newbie at getting intricate stuff off the net but heck Newbies have to start somewhere.

Thanks guys for your Help.

Much appreciatated.
Odette

Hello Odette,

We are not a marriage guidance councellery or anything like. You are obviously in a failed relationship.......... all you can do is get out or put up.

I am married to my third wife........... I know ;)

OK, just look at this logically?.................. you install my super "antisniper" software and your partner cannot spy on you anymore?

1. You didn't talk about it?
2. Neither of you trust eachother?

TIME TO MOVE ON

Ask yourself a few questions please?

If this is really "your partner"; why are you worried about your "personal information"?

Hell, you must still get snail mail?.............. do you lock that away?

If the answer is yes, then dump your craptop for serious stuff and get a desktop with a removable HDD caddy (all of $15) and lock that away as well.

If you haven't figured, I believe that just as a dog can be guilty, so can a bitch.

:)

It sounds like your admin is either "sniffing" network traffic at
some point, or running a keylogger. That's just my gut reaction
anyway.

Ccleaner's a good app for cleaning up your 'trail' if they're reverse
engineering temp files like cookies.

http://www.ccleaner.com

For keylogger activity, you might try scanning the PC with an
online scanner such as:

http://housecall.trendmicro.com
http://www.pandasoftware.com

Bear in mind the online scanners generate some false positives
and also portray cookies as infected files (they aren't).

Tracking your ip connections and doing whois on those is a
strictly analytical approach requiring some networking skills.
On second thought, I don't know how well that will really serve
you in this case.

Another option you have that would be to run TOR, a proxy
service, or VPN-like app such as JanusVM. Both these off-the-shelf
products would mask your internet activity to some degree from
prying eyes. JanusVM will probably create network issues if
you've got shared applications and folders on that PC, so it's
not something you'd want to run all the time. Janus would foil
a sniffer on the network. TOR, I'm not so sure.

You might also have a look at "User Accounts" in the "Control Panel".
I'd be leary of making changes though as it could affect your network
setup (again, shared folders). It might be a good idea to make sure
the "Administrator" account has a password. You'll need to boot
into Safe Mode probably to easily get to that one though.

Bear in mind, technological issues often create adverse, paranoid
reactions in people, even myself. I have quite a few stories of how
misconstrued one can be in certain circumstances. As Nihil suggests,
it might be wise to step back here and take stock of your relationship.
Whatever changes you make on that PC, make sure you document
them so you can back them out if they create problems.

p.s. -- google stuff like TOR and Janus. I don't have time to go into more detail here.

Hey, brokencrow, don't you actually read other people's posts?

She said:

Quote:

---

The Administrator is my Partner, He is my partner in Business and Home. And this is why I am so Mad it is my private computer.

---

Yet she has the effrontery to spout bullcrap about "private computer"

The magic 8 ball says "NO"

;)

It boils down to the fact that if he is an admin - either of the local machine or the network, then there is nothing he can't do.

Apart from the usual virus, adware, spyware scan's etc then there is not much you can do to prevent him doing these things.

You could use an internet cafe if you have some sensitive stuff to do, but then there are no guarantees that this will be safe either - or if you are able to log on as an admin, 'demote' his account so he is a bog standard user, run the tools that Brokencrow mentions and if there are any nasties, after you remove them he won't be able to install them again.

Any banking details are sent over the network encrypted so if he is getting these he must have something on the computer that is reading your keystrokes - likewise when you go to hotmail make sure you go to https://hotmail.com (put an 's' after http) and this will encrypt the traffic, in case he is sniffing it over the local network instead.

Quote:

---

It boils down to the fact that if he is an admin - either of the local machine or the network, then there is nothing he can't do.

---

Exactly! and this is compounded by what sounds to be a physically insecure environment.

If someone has unrestricted physical access to your machine they can easily own it.

All I can suggest in that situation is to use a removable hard drive and watch out for physical keyloggers.

Quote:

---

Any banking details are sent over the network encrypted so if he is getting these he must have something on the computer that is reading your keystrokes - likewise when you go to hotmail make sure you go to https://hotmail.com (put an 's' after http) and this will encrypt the traffic, in case he is sniffing it over the local network instead.

---

That as well. Also remember that all current accounts have been compromised, so the passwords will need to be changed. Otherwise all the attacker has to do is log in as the legitimate owner?

I'm with Nihil on this one.. If you cannot trust your partner in a relationship you've got bigger problems. I myself couldn't trust my partner anymore, instead of going through all this crap to "hide" my stuff I did the only thing you should do in that case. I kicked her out. Exit. History. Gone. See ya!

Well, of course, I don't have a wife and I have no clue as to what to do about the relationships.

Anyway as far as the technical perspective is concerned, I would say something like this:

If you are sure that your system does not run a 'keylogger' at anytime, while surfing the sites, I would suggest you to start a HTTP secure conection. I used this trick to prevent my password / ID theft from a cyber cafe which I was sure ran a network traffic sniffer on the server to which other computers were connected. I knew that becuase I had the physical access to the server with a 'guest' account.

A question: can a 'secure SSL' connection be hacked by the network administrator?

Quote:

---

I would suggest you to start a HTTP secure conection

---

I am afraid that won't work. The issue here is certainly one of physical security as banking details have been compromised and they are secure transmissions.

Quote:

---

A question: can a 'secure SSL' connection be hacked by the network administrator?

---

Yes, but if you have a strong password it would take a very long time. Not the sort of thing you would do if you could easily install a keylogger instead.

OK I agree, the concern here is the physical security. However there are two ways in which a person could have a physical security breach (in this case):
1> Administrator has the physical access to the machine being used and hence has some babysitter installed on the target.

2> All connections leaking personal data were insecure. The connections may have included the email account access and things as such.

Quote:

---

The issue here is certainly one of physical security as banking details have been compromised and they are secure transmissions.

---

Well, if it is so, how would the info leak at the first place (if the transactions were secure).

Quote:

---

Yes, but if you have a strong password it would take a very long time. Not the sort of thing you would do if you could easily install a keylogger instead.

---

Well, I hope that most people who use a banking account know by some means that they must have a strong password. However I am not sure in this case too ... just a presumption.

@odigohi: How do you know that the administrator is going into your banking details and stuff like that? Are you sure, it is none except him?

Well, there is one obvious solution that would explain both banking and e-mail being compromised.

That would be the installation of a keylogger on the target machine.

If you install a firewall and demote the network administrator's account that should prevent stuff getting loaded over the network. However there is still the issue of physical access, as they are sharing the same accommodation.

;)

Hmmm.... I understand it now.

Well, you know Nihil, thats what I like AO for: Availability of Experience of the Experienced ones.

Having been married for 15 years trust is very important. I suggest you first communicate your frustrations. If you cannot communicate, you should not be in the relationship. Neither business or personal.

There is one method through which the pin numbers and the codes that is typed into the bank site should be erased off the computer. So that the administrator has no access to the bank accounts.

Adam Jones, welcome to AO,

Quote:

---

There is one method through which the pin numbers and the codes that is typed into the bank site should be erased off the computer

---

That is an excellent idea, can you give us more details? I like the concept if you have to use a machine that others have access to, or for laptops that might get stolen.

For improved security on a static machine I tend to go for the removable hard drive caddy. These cost between $15 and $25 and usually have one or more small fans that prevent the build up of stale, hot air around the drive, so you get additional hardware (and hence, data) protection as a bonus.:)

I am afraid that neither provides protection against a keylogger that phones home.:(

Nothing a good software firewall on a client PC wouldn't solve eh nihil?

But I do like your idea of the removable hard drive - I've meant to do it numerous times but never quiet got around to it. That's this evenings project!

Hush your bugle me bucum ;)

Totally correct on the software firewall, and this is an internal problem....

Problem is that there is no internal physical security?

Hey, I must try the removable drives in RAID1............ :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by nihil

Hey, I must try the removable drives in RAID1............ :D

---

Be adventerous, RAID5!!!

Nah.............my people are SOHO............... that's RAID1............. sure, bigger outfits are RAID5, but those would be lawyers and accountants to me, so I go RAID6 (double recovery references)...................:D

All In Jest!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by odigohi

Please dont tell me to unplug from the net work I would not have a clue how to do that.

---

and then

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by brokencrow

You might also run netstat, or a similar
app, listing any current connections a computer might be making with
other computers. You'll need an app like Sam Spade to run "whois" on
the ip addresses netstat turns up.

---

-------------------------------------------

Quote:

---

The Administrator is my Partner, He is my partner in Business and Home. And this is why I am so Mad it is my private computer. So you suggest I look on the net for a cleaner and Sam Spade to run "whois".

---

Im not a phsycologist but my recommendation is talking to your partner.... In my experience being open and honest and having the ability to talk about everything and anything with your partner is what makes it go the distance. Otherwise (i found) you will just be unhappy, or perhaps just miscontent.

After reading through other posts, and finding the possible solution noone thought of..... since you are in a relationship is it possible that your partner has simply guessed your passwords. For example, do you use kids names or birthdates etc.

Try changing your passwords and that might help. To get rid of all your problems your going to have to change much much more...... your address for example?

I dont mean to come across rude, but you do have bigger problems. Its simply not fair on you as a person to feel like your own private personal security is lost to someone you cant even approach.

Hope it all works out for the best!


CTO

I am wondering about the overall network configuration. If you are connecting to the internet via proxy thru one of the five network servers... well at that point it may well be a different story then him simply collecting information stored local, etc.

Some of the recent court ruling about personal emails and transaction from company computers are requiring the info be store for a certin amount of time. Personal emails delivered to a Exchange server (if your running something like SBS) are part of the company and no longer personal. I know at my work place any email that comes in is considered company property. Period. no exceptions.

Is it possbile that 1) there is a good reason for your partner to be capturing everything? or 2) that he is just showing off? "See what I can do.. arent you impressed" type stuff?

But to really solve this, go back to post #1. Business and personal information rarely mix.