Windows 10 opening apps/programs while laptop is closed

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shelford

115 posts

Master Geek

#177632 10-Aug-2015 07:01

So basically what the subject says. On Friday night I was woken up at 3:30am from music coming from my laptop, which was closed and under my bed. I hadn't used itunes since about 11am Friday morning. I quickly turned it off then shutdown my laptop, not thinking much of it when I was still half asleep.

Then at about 4am this morning I was woken by a noise, it was like a charms bell, again coming from under the bed. I checked the laptop, opened it up and somehow Word, excel, and two folders had opened, while the laptop was shut, and the screen had also rotated it self into portrait mode.

Now either there are ghosts living in my house or something is up with Windows 10. Anyone have any ideas?

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BDFL - Memuneh
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#1361825 10-Aug-2015 07:55

Or still, your laptop has malware and someone else is remote controlling it. Time to run a full scan of MalwareBytes and your favourite AV.

Lias

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#1361834 10-Aug-2015 08:26

What Freitasm said.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remote_administration_software#RAT_trojan_horses

I'm a geek, a gamer, a dad, a Quic user, and an IT Professional. I have a full rack home lab, size 15 feet, an epic beard and Asperger's. I'm a bit of a Cypherpunk, who believes information wants to be free and the Net interprets censorship as damage and routes around it. If you use my Quic signup you can also use the code R570394EKGIZ8 for free setup.

shelford

115 posts

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#1361921 10-Aug-2015 10:25

Damn, I liked the idea of ghosts more than someone else controlling it.

Best ones to use? I run the free version of avg but what else should I use? I've used spybot (I think that's what it is) before. Are these ones fine?

freitasm

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#1361964 10-Aug-2015 11:01

As I mentioned, MalwareBytes. And perhaps run a full scan with TrendMicro Housecall.

shelford

115 posts

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#1362347 10-Aug-2015 19:15

Thanks for that! Scanning now!

JayADee

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#1362535 11-Aug-2015 06:48

I think the dust bunnies are partying under the bed while you sleep. 🐇🐇

shelford

115 posts

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#1371058 20-Aug-2015 18:55

So I did all the scans and had a few questionable items so were removed and since then everything had been fine untill today when I came home from work and had a few files opened on my laptop. I'm running the scans again but is there anything else I can do/should do?

I hate the idea of someone else accessing it.

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freitasm

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#1371078 20-Aug-2015 19:52

Have you looked in the Control Panel | Add/Remove Programs to see if there is anything that shouldn't be there?

Any port forward in your router pointing to your PC?

shelford

115 posts

Master Geek

#1371091 20-Aug-2015 20:21

Nothing there that shouldn't be. How would I check the port forward in the router? or what would I be looking for?

shelford

115 posts

Master Geek

#1371101 20-Aug-2015 20:40

Managed to log into my router but no port forwarding tab although there is virtual server which is the same thing isn't it? Anyway there are a few things on there, heaps for skype, about 6 of them then a couple for bit torrent and one for my xbox and one for teredo. not sure what one that is. Can I remove any/all/most of these without any major stuff ups?

shelford

115 posts

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#1378075 2-Sep-2015 09:49

Sorry to be a pain again. I have done everything above but the problem is still on going. I woke up this am to find they had rotatesdthe screen again and were in the settings trying to set up a vpn. Is there anything else I can try or is a complete reinstall the best thing to do? And if so, how do I go about it?

Thanks.

nathan

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#1378116 2-Sep-2015 11:17

your computer is not yours anymore and the only way you can be sure its yours is to flatten and reinstall

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh278941.aspx

Ten Immutable Laws Of Security

Law #1: If a bad guy can persuade you to run his program on your computer, it's not solely your computer anymore

It's an unfortunate fact of computer science: when a computer program runs, it will do what it's programmed to do, even if it's programmed to be harmful. When you choose to run a program, you are making a decision to turn over a certain level of control of your computer to it -- often anything up to the limits of what you yourself can do on the computer (and sometimes beyond). It could monitor your keystrokes and send them to criminals eager for the information. It could open every document on the computer, and change the word "will" to "won't" in all of them. It could send rude emails to all your friends. It could install a virus. It could create a "back door" that lets someone remotely control your computer. It could relay a bad guy’s attack on someone else’s computers. Or it could just reformat your hard drive.

That's why it's important never to run a program from an untrusted source, and to limit the ability of others to make that decision for you on your computer. There's a nice analogy between running a program and eating a sandwich. If a stranger walked up to you and handed you a sandwich, would you eat it? Probably not. How about if your best friend gave you a sandwich? Maybe you would, maybe you wouldn't—it depends on whether she made it or found it lying in the street. Apply the same critical thought to a program that you would to a sandwich, and you'll usually be safe.

1101

3122 posts

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#1378139 2-Sep-2015 11:37

nathan: your computer is not yours anymore and the only way you can be sure its yours is to flatten and reinstall

.

Yep . There is no way to tell what other changes the hacker has made to your system.
Wipe & reload

If you used it for banking, get your bank pass changed. Do this now.
Change ALL passwords (email, facebook etc etc ), they are all now compromised

Chances are there is some remote controll software running on the laptop, if so, AV wont detect it as remote control software is often a legit app.
I recently saw crapware that had installed Teamveiwer on one machine

DizzyD

523 posts

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#1378146 2-Sep-2015 11:45

Had a similar problem on mine.

Turned out it was my wireless mouse which I never switch off.
Gremlins use your mouse when you not looking!!!!

shelford

115 posts

Master Geek

#1378160 2-Sep-2015 12:03

nathan: your computer is not yours anymore and the only way you can be sure its yours is to flatten and reinstall

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh278941.aspx

Ten Immutable Laws Of Security

Law #1: If a bad guy can persuade you to run his program on your computer, it's not solely your computer anymore

It's an unfortunate fact of computer science: when a computer program runs, it will do what it's programmed to do, even if it's programmed to be harmful. When you choose to run a program, you are making a decision to turn over a certain level of control of your computer to it -- often anything up to the limits of what you yourself can do on the computer (and sometimes beyond). It could monitor your keystrokes and send them to criminals eager for the information. It could open every document on the computer, and change the word "will" to "won't" in all of them. It could send rude emails to all your friends. It could install a virus. It could create a "back door" that lets someone remotely control your computer. It could relay a bad guy’s attack on someone else’s computers. Or it could just reformat your hard drive.

That's why it's important never to run a program from an untrusted source, and to limit the ability of others to make that decision for you on your computer. There's a nice analogy between running a program and eating a sandwich. If a stranger walked up to you and handed you a sandwich, would you eat it? Probably not. How about if your best friend gave you a sandwich? Maybe you would, maybe you wouldn't—it depends on whether she made it or found it lying in the street. Apply the same critical thought to a program that you would to a sandwich, and you'll usually be safe.

Thanks for the info. Can you tell me the best way to reinstall windows? I run windows 10 and have no disc drive. Isn't there an easy way to do it without discs now?

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