Privacy Issues

[Kathsr]

Hi all,

My roommate is studying to be a network guru and he administers our network at home. There are 3 people living here. He uses a Netgear Stora server and we have FIOS. I have an HP dv4notebook. I discovered he has been stalking my computer for the last 6 months. He can get into my Gmail accounts so I have to assume he has all of my passwords too. Is he getting those from the registry? I have since installed Zone Alarm and turned off Remote Access. I also have Webroot w/ Spy Sweeper. When I shutdown my computer flashes a black and white screen that says it’s waiting for background programs to close. These are the services I disabled:
Bluetooth
Fax
Function Discovery Provider Host
Function Discovery Resource Publication
Net.Tcp Port Sharing Service
Parental Controls
Remote Access Auto Connection Manager
Remote Access Connection Manager
Remote Access Desktop Configuration
Remote Desktop Services
Remote Registry
Routing and Remote Access
Secondary Logon
Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol Service
Windows Defender
Windows Firewall
RPC Endpoint Mapper is grayed out and inaccessible
RPC Locator is still on Automatic
RPC Properties is on Automatic, Network Services with a password I didn’t put in there

[FONT=&quot]The computer is either with me or locked in a safe when I’m not using it. Is there any way I’m going to be able to use the internet at home privately? Unfortunately moving is not an option at this time.
Any and all help is greatly appreciated!
[/FONT]

 

[WebMattR]

I would guess that he's sniffing network traffic, and pulling your passwords and such from that. I, personally, would go out of your residence and change your passwords to everything. Also, while moving out isn't an option at present, I'd start looking.

I would also re-enable most/all of those services. I don't think axing them is helping you in this situation. Do you connect to the network via a hardwire, or wireless?

 

[Kathsr]

Thanks much

The network is wireless. I've checked for keyloggers, programs I don't recognize, etc. but he's really devious.

Can he get to my registry via the connection?

 

[WebMattR]

As far as I'm aware, that isn't possible. I would guess, then, he's just monitoring the traffic that goes over the wireless. It's relatively easy to do, especially for someone who has the skill to do such things.

Is it possible for you to hard wire your machine?

 

[Kathsr]

RE: Wired Machine

I don't think so. The router is on another floor and in the other end of the house. I guess I just need to know how much he can get to through the back door and if I go offsite and change all my passwords if he could get them anyway. I know he's been able to watch my desktop for months. Last week I was notified by Google that one of my gmail accounts was being accessed from a different IP address and sure enough, it was his work address.I did a phone verification with them so they'd know which IP was the right one.
I really appreciate your help. I couldn't figure out for a long time why I wasn't receiving my emails, etc. He's been deleting stuff before I could even read it.

 

[Mike Connor]

What he is doing is highly illegal. If you can prove it, have him arrested. Such people may just be harmless nuts but some of them aren't. You should take stuff like this very seriously indeed.

You could also consider using something like PGP;

http://www.andrebacard.com/pgp.html

http://www.spywarewarrior.com/uiuc/ss/pgp8fw/pgp8fw.htm

Even if he has access to your mail and other stuff , he can't read it without the key, and sniffing the data stream wont work either.

There are also various free and reliable products to encrypt your whole machine;

http://www.truecrypt.org/

Regards....Mike Connor