Computer Hacking

[Better off]

I have just discovered that my STBX has printed copies of my private Facebook messages, as well as printed copies of a few of my private emails (gmail).
How would he get access to this information? We share WIFI in the house but my laptop is protected with a password, as is my Facebook and email accounts (they weren’t always). It looks like he hacked into my accounts and printed screen prints from his computer. My laptop does not have printer functionality.<O</O
<O</O
Has anyone else experienced this? I will be changing all the passwords again tonight but I’m wondering if it’s a WIFI thing? Also is there anything I can do about this?
Thanks!

[dinkyface]

Sign into FB with a dummy facebook account to see how much of your real account's stuff is visible to non-friends/family. I assume you have un-friended/familied your STBX.

FB messages are often echoed to an email account, so make sure you know which account yours are going to - and change that password.

No, not WIFI is not to blame.

Make sure you log out of Facebook whenever you leave the site (there's a setting for that).
Do you access FB on a mobile device?

You can connect a printer to any laptop.

Check the date range of the messages - that might give you some idea on how it happened.

[FWB]

People ask me why am not on Facebook and every other social media? Well, it's because of things like this below, and the fact that I don't feel the need to follow a "fad" in which some people don't even understand the workings of what they are using....Am I less "cool" or "smarter" for not being on Farcebook etc? Perhaps

I have just discovered that my STBX has printed copies of my private Facebook messages, as well as printed copies of a few of my private emails (gmail)

OK...here is the thing, unless you have factual evidence to support this claim, this can come back and BITE you in the bum. You used the word "private" synonymously with Facebook...well that is an oxymoron. The same applies to Gmail

How would he get access to this information?

How long is a piece of string? If indeed you are right about your EX, and they have taken to carrying out this act, you could have unconsciously helped in providing the information needed.

We share WIFI in the house but my laptop is protected with a password, as is my Facebook and email accounts (they weren’t always).

Well...who is the administrator of your home network i.e. who is in charge of going into the router setting to configure access? Read what I said above about Facebook and Gmail, and apply the same thoughts to the laptop.

Your best bet in the interim if you are still living together, is to get yourself a portable hard drive (HD) of say 1TB, they are very cheap these days, backup all your information (emails, letters, docs etc) and keep it on your person.

Whatever you don't want people to know / see, don't send it by email that is not encrypted. In a workplace, don't think your system is not being scanned remotely occasionally to see what you are up to.

It looks like he hacked into my accounts and printed screen prints from his computer. My laptop does not have printer functionality.

Well....again, some very serious wild accusations here, and hopefully you are able to back this up? People have been sued for this sort of defamation in the past.

Your laptop does indeed have the ability to print, it just needs to be setup to do so. After all you alluded to the fact that you lot have wi-fi use in the house

I will be changing all the passwords again tonight

That might help somewhat, after all it is always advised that people change their passwords on a regular basis using complicated string of characters, as opposed to the name of your pet, nickname, kids, friends/family or favourite show. However, that can only go so far in helping your cause

I’m wondering if it’s a WIFI thing

Not really....part of the equation though.

Also is there anything I can do about this?

Yes, loads....start by not keeping important info on your laptop, don't leave your laptop lying around, backup your docs and carry it with you due to the current living arrangement status quo

Go to Wal-mart and get yourself a combination Safe, and lock your laptop in there.

Oh...stay away from Facebook as a place to go air your dirty laundry, Facebook does not guarantee that they will keep your stuff "private", once it is on there, it belongs to them and not you. Am sure you know how difficult it is to delete 1000s of picture once you load them up?

Hope you yield my advice, especially the latter part to better help you in the current situation you are in. Also, unless you catch the person in the act or know for sure they are "Hacking" your computer, I wouldn't go on saying that about the person.

If there is anything else, let me know. I have stopped short of scare-mongering / overwhelming you, and just provided info needed to immediately alleviate your situation

Make sure you log out of Facebook whenever you leave the site (there's a setting for that).

Good preventive measure advice....but if indeed she is being "hacked", it doesn't make the problem go away

You can connect a printer to any laptop.

True...but by "connect", you mean the laptop has to be configured to work with the printer. The printer doesn't necessarily have to be in the same room...note the poster said they share wi-fi

[standing on the sidelines]

actually you don't need a dummy account to do it. There is a way in the security features to see how certain people and public see on your fb page.

I wonder the OP accidently left it open one time and he saw his chance? I know that there is a way to remotely fix someones computer so I am also wondering if he has some how tied the two together? More tech savvy people can say if that is possible.

[Wyntermcd]

Best bet, don't do anything on the Internet (email, fb, twitter, even posting here) that can be used against you!

Hacking FB is not actually easy, however, if he had access to your email, there are thing you can do (like oops forgot my password) and have it emailed to you. There are a couple other work arounds like that which are more likely.

Possible simpler answer though is maybe the emails an messages were passed on by the people you were corresponding with, or maybe he had them a long time ago.

Additionally, do you have a smart phone ? Number one way to access a person stuff is to get their smart phone as most of us do t like putting in our password every single time so we click the "remember this password" options. And even with smart phones having their own "locks" I can't tell you how many times I've even able to break into my partners LOL (with his knowledge, we have a game where he thinks I'll never be able to figure out his new password, and within a couple days I always do)

[Wyntermcd]

And please excuse my typos, I'm using my phone and sometimes type too quickly!

[FWB]

I wonder the OP accidently left it open one time and he saw his chance? I know that there is a way to remotely fix someones computer so I am also wondering if he has some how tied the two together? More tech savvy people can say if that is possible.

BOLD 1: Left what open...the laptop itself, gmail or farcebook? That might be so, but that won't have given the alleged person access to all

BOLD 2: Yes, but the initiator will have to be given access in the first place, and the remote access feature under control panel is usually turned off by default

Hacking FB is not actually easy

Oh really..shame these folks got hacked though

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/pass...sers-1.2452171

NOTE TO THE OP: If it turns out that your home network is not even passwd PROTECTED i.e it's wide open for anyone to gain access, then it could be anybody out there "Hacking" your stuff. So you can see why I said you ought to tread carefully before you go accusing your EX....the onus is on you to make sure your homework is done, before labeling your ex a "Hacker"

And please excuse my typos

More things to worry about in life No sweat

[arabian]

Until my divorce was finalized, and after receiving emails from ex's g/f pretending to be him, I insisted all communication from my ex be sent to me by fax in his own handwriting. This eliminated a whole whack of nonsense at the time and provided me with endless entertainment as he couldn't spell check anything.

[Mess]

Recommending someone should avoid all internet is not realistic. Many people rely on internet for work, contact with extended family and friends, school, etc.

When you sign up for any service they ask you some questions in case you ever forget your password. Questions like "What is your mother's maiden name."

Your ex will know the answers to most or all of those questions. It's very likely that is what he used.

I have gone through all of my accounts and changed the answers to random nonsense. I have a separate password protected file to keep track of all of my gibberish passwords. There are various ways you can do this. What you shouldn't do is rely on the "secret" questions that Facebook and Gmail offer you.

If you leave your laptop where your ex can access it, it is also possible he installed a keylogger, which would record whatever site you visit and the passwords you type in.

[blinkandimgone]

I do believe if your home network is wireless, and your computer is setup to share certain files - including temp files - it might be possible for him to access it from his computer.

Irrelevant of that, if there is any private information that he helped himself to by logging into or hacking into your accounts including email, Facebook or other password protected accounts, it's quite easy to have that "evidence" dismissed as it's illegal for him to access password protected accounts that you have not given him the passwords for.

How he came to be in possession of the information isn't the biggest issue, it's how he intends to use it that you need to prepare yourself for. As he has absolutely no right to have that information, you do not have to respond to, justify or defend any of it, other than to say that *if* he claims it is your personal email/facebook messages, the onus is on him to prove it is indeed so, and how he came to be in possession of it without your permission. He may attempt to say it was forwarded to him by a mutual friend, it is still on him to prove it.

In the future, always remember that ANYTHING and everything you put out on the internet is always out there on the internet, once you hit send or post you no longer have any control over where it goes, so reconsider what you're sending before you do it and how it may affect you in the future.

As you're on a shared network, consider checking your computer's settings to make sure it isn't setup to share info with other users. You can follow the directions here, skip the part about printers:

UnSharing HomeGroup Folders But Sharing Printer | Windows 7 Forums

[FWB]

Recommending someone should avoid all internet is not realistic.

Did someone actually say this? It is indeed unrealistic for a myriad of reasons. The point made, is that do not post or send sensitive / important info on social media or through email that is encrypted (helps, but still vulnerable to knowledge of cryptography)

I do believe if your home network is wireless, and your computer is setup to share certain files - including temp files - it might be possible for him to access it from his computer.

Blink...I doubt that is what is going on here. I didn't get the impression from the Op's post that there is any "file-sharing" going on i.e. that file sharing capabilities were enabled and that every system in the house is joined to the domain.

I read the post as "there is wi-fi option in the house" and everyone log on to access the wi-fi with their own computer.

OP....I don't want to encourage you to accuse your EX of this, especially if it turns out that it isn't him. However, if you PM...I can sort of allude to what whoever is doing this, is going about it.

[Pursuinghappiness]

You might want to check your computer. My ex installed a key-stroke finder on my laptop during our in-home separation. I only found it because my laptop crashed and my computer guy noticed missing screws and took my system apart.

By the way, in the U.S. in some states this is punishable in both criminal and civil court. I didn't have much luck in reporting this but I did it anyway in case it helps change the laws and my idiot ex admitted to the custody evaluator that he did it which was detrimental to him.

[FWB]

OK....I am getting PMs on this. OP.....You are probably getting overwhelmed by now, but remember not to go pointing fingers first without having facts. The Farcebook / Gmail revelations is the least of the problems you are having, you need to deal with the root cause of the problem.

Some people have mentioned "key logger" (proper name)...a possibility in the overall equation, but do note that it is not an installed device / part that you can find by simply opening your computer up. You can see why the advice..."if you don't know much about technology, don't just be signing up to everything" holds true

This stuff is most invisible, and going through all your programs won't reveal it. So you can why you visiting a certain site, could have led to your computer being hijacked (you will be surprised at how many computers out there are being controlled by someone else unbeknown to the owner) and the webcam as well

Sounds like something out of the movies doesn't it a la "enemy of the state" with Will Smith and Gene Hackman

[Pursuinghappiness]

Irrelevant of that, if there is any private information that he helped himself to by logging into or hacking into your accounts including email, Facebook or other password protected accounts, it's quite easy to have that "evidence" dismissed as it's illegal for him to access password protected accounts that you have not given him the passwords for.

I agree except that Facebook is considered public forum even when password protected. Also, its hackable. There was a hacker a few months back that got into Zuckerberg's account to prove that FB had a bug. Its never a good idea during divorce to say actionable things on a public forum site.

If it does end up being a key stroke finder, I'd keep the device after you have it removed and file a police report...especially if you've been separating out bank accounts, etc and he's getting access to any passwords you've been using.

If its any comfort, I can tell you that my ex's stalking got him nowhere. In fact, it ticked off the judge and custody evaluator.

Good luck...its hard dealing with the control-freak, stalker types during in-home separations.

[blinkandimgone]

I do believe posts you make on yours or other's facebook pages are public, however messaging |(which I *think* is what the OP was referring to) would be considered the same as email, as they are private between the parties and not publicly available.