Extra internet usage

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PhilANZ

352 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2211879 6-Apr-2019 17:57

We hardly used our machines yesterday - were out all morning and busy in the afternoon, but had high use. The attached display is from my personal system - no other devices. I haven't been to the website listed as taking most of the usage. We do use Malwarebytes.

As I say, we'll just have to see if the password change helps. We've been getting the odd spurious day like this. Usually it's major Windows updates - but every now and then somehow we can't explain. This time we happened to pick it up quickly.

But we'll see if changing our router password helps.

Thanks

jlittle

188 posts

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#2211930 6-Apr-2019 21:21

drainerbot ad fraud, maybe?

Groucho

524 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2212172 7-Apr-2019 11:14

One suggestion I'll throw in is one I experienced a couple of years ago. Reboot all your devices. Like you we pretty consistently used 1-2GB a day over our fixed line broadband but noticed one month it was more like 10GB a day for several days. I have some IT background so made it my mission to track down where all this data was going. I ruled out a breach of the WiFi. Our telco could certainly see the data being used through our modem so ruled out a data accounting error at their end.

After a whole bunch of troubleshooting it ended up being a corrupted app update on my partner's phone. For reasons unknown it couldn't complete the install so was in an endless loop continually and rapidly downloading, failing the install, re-downloading and presumably over-writing the update package, failing... well you get the picture. Rebooted her phone and voila back to normal data use. She didn't notice the battery draining any quicker as updates only happened over WiFi and when she was home it was always plugged in. If it was something like this it could explain why a CDN features so heavily in your data use.

PhilANZ

352 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2212189 7-Apr-2019 11:33

Thanks for these somewhat worrying suggestions. Obviously more can go wrong than my imagination perceives. But since the excess use was on my laptop (according to Glasswire) it wasn't a phone issue - unless I'm missing something.

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
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Geekzone

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#2212240 7-Apr-2019 12:04

Are you running Windows 10?

Is the Delivery Optimisation option on Settings | Windows Update set to either OFF or "PCs on my local network" instead of "PCs on my local network, and PCS on the Internet"?

PhilANZ

352 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2212268 7-Apr-2019 12:22

We used to have it off. Still not sure it helps but we turned it on when we had some problems and had multiple attempts (we seem to have issues alternately - one time my update will be fine, next time my wife's will be fine. But we've never chosen PC's on the internet - always just on the local network. Since you raise it, does that mean peer to peer - or "real" network?

Spyware

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#2212273 7-Apr-2019 12:57

Drift appears to be a messaging app that integrates via cloudfront. Have you been using any chatbots??

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PhilANZ

352 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2212278 7-Apr-2019 13:33

Before my stroke (12 years ago), I used to participate in my local OS/2 user group meetings and understood about half of what was said. My stroke saw me finally succumb to Windows (still miss OS/2). I'm was an amateur geek - now not at all. Sometimes even get my children to help.
I've recently found I'm still sadly missing neural pathways. Even professionally I still prefer email as it gives me time to think about issues.
So when a term like chatbots is used, I have no idea what it means (chat and bots make sense, but not the two together) or how I'd use it. Having googled it, I can see some interesting challenges (for me and the way I think and talk). So no - I don't use chatbots.
I even hate phone systems requiring multiple inputs. I usually get my wife to ring IRD (if it's not urgent I prefer their email system - warts and all) - I lose my way too easily. I read a book by a brain doctor who had a stroke and reading her description of trying to phone for help I really felt for her.

Spyware

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#2212286 7-Apr-2019 14:18

I just installed Glasswire and its indicating I also have traffic outbound to dl7g9llrghqi1.cloudfront.net:443 from Firefox. I doubt its nefarious.

wally22

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#2212288 7-Apr-2019 14:29

I run the free version of Glasswire and i have traffic to dl7g9llrghqi1.cloudfront.net from Thunderbird and Sophos. I have no idea what that is all about, but I definitely have no issues (that I know of) with those 2 applications.

ANglEAUT

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#2212316 7-Apr-2019 16:56

PhilANZ:

We hardly used our machines yesterday - ...

Remember that even though YOU are NOT USING your machine actively, doesn't mean the machine is not communicating over the network! 🧐

Before you start the dark art of capturing & reading your captured network traffic, consider these

Have your router block all traffic to .cloudfront.net & see which apps complain?
Have your router redirect all traffic to your own webserver or firewall enabled device. Review the log files for incoming connections from your own network with failures?
Enable logging on your firewall for outbound connections & review logs?

Please keep this GZ community vibrant by contributing in a constructive & respectful manner.

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