How to check if someone is remotely accessing your laptop, Computer or Mac?. Everything about personal information stored on a computer is basically an extension of your entire identity in digital form.
You can store all your photos, videos, resumes, contacts, documents and other sensitive information on your PC or Mac. Can you imagine someone snooping around and getting all that data?.
Even worse, if you leave your computer unattended, snoopers can even retrieve all of your account passwords stored in your browser. It was a total disaster.
But how can you check if someone is remotely accessing your computer files and apps without your knowledge?. Fortunately, there are several ways to find out.
So someone has looked at your computer, opened your files and applications, there must be traces of them. On PCs and Macs. There’s a quick and easy way to view recently accessed files, folders, and even apps.
With this tool, if you see an item that you can’t remember when you last opened it, then it’s a sure sign that an unauthorized party has accessed your system without your knowledge. Here’s how you can see the latest items on PC and Mac.
1. On Mac:
Click on the Apple logo to the left of the menu bar. Then, hover your mouse over Recent Items. Here, you’ll see the 10 most recent items accessed in three categories: Servers, Documents and Applications.
As for Recent folders, open a Finder window. When the window is active, then click Go on the menu bar. Hover your mouse over Recent Folders. Similar to “Recent Items”, you will see the 10 most recently accessed folders.
2. On Laptop or Computer:
Recent files, open a File Explorer window by clicking the taskbar shortcut, opening the Documents folder or by pressing Windows key + E.
On the left side of the File Explorer menu, then click Quick Access, which will display a list of recently opened files. If you see something in this list that you don’t remember opening, then someone may have accessed your computer. That is easiest ways how to check if someone accessing your computer.
3. Review Your Computer Login
To view all login activity on your PC, use Windows Event Viewer. This tool will show you all the Windows services you have accessed, as well as logins, errors, and warnings.
To access Windows Event Viewer, open Control Panel, then click System and Security, select Administrative Tools, and Event Viewer.
An easier way to access the Event Viewer is to simply press Windows key + R. Type “eventvwr ” in the “Run” dialog box. This will open the Event Viewer.
In the left pane, click on the item called Security. This will show you a list of all login events on your PC. Under the Event ID column, look for the number 4624 for standard logon, 4672 for administrative logon and 4634 for logoff.
Then click entry for additional details and check if other users have logged on to your system while you were away. On a Mac, you can use the Console tool to check if someone is trying to access your computer while it is in sleep mode.
To access this tool, use Spotlight Search (Command + Space) then search for the word Console and press Enter. In the Console window, click “All Messages” then in the Search field (top right side of the window), type “wake up” to view all relevant events and their timestamps.
4. Check Web Browser History
Another area to check is browsing activity. While savvy users can always use the Incognito or Private mode of a web browser or delete their browsing history, it never hurts to review web browsing activity for snoopers.
For Google Chrome, click the three vertical dots on the top right side of your Chrome window. Navigate to History. While Mozilla Firefox, click on the icon view history, save bookmarks and more in the menu bar and click on History.
As for Microsoft Edge, you can simply click the Hub icon or an icon like a speeding star. And click History. Then Safari, how to open Safari, on the Apple menu bar, click History and select Show All History.
5. Keyloggers Attack
Did you know that there are programs that only capture information from your keyboard?. They are called keystroke logs, or keyloggers, and can be a tool for malicious hackers to steal your information.
While companies and parents can use keyloggers for legal monitoring, scammers can use them to invade your privacy or steal your identity. They come in the form of software and hardware, and are not something to be taken lightly.
6. Stop Other People From Using Your Computer
Locking your computer and using a strong password to log back in are two of the most basic things about computer security that are always recommended to do.
In the office, the lock screen is the most secure feature and protects your work from potential visual prying eyes without completely shutting down your computer.
Always lock your computer when you’re away so potential snoopers can’t access it. On Windows, you can use the Windows hotkey + L to quickly lock your PC.
On a Mac, you can use the shortcut Control + Shift + Eject (Control + Shift + Power on Macs without a disk drive) or Control + Command + Q to quickly lock it. You can also click the Apple logo on the menu bar and select Lock Screen.
Note: Make sure you set your Mac’s security options to prompt for a password as soon as it locks. You can set this by going to System Preferences, then Security & Privacy.
When you do, make sure you have a strong password for your account. You may be used to using simple passwords so you can log in faster.
That’s why many people use weak passwords like “password” or “12345,” which is a bad idea. Hackers can guess easy passwords in minutes. Create a unique password, but one that you can easily remember.
Conclusion
that was how to check if someone is accessing your computer. For now cyber crime is increasingly widespread as technology develops. For that you must be vigilant in accessing the internet.
1 comment
Great article, totally what I was looking for.