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  • Background

I'm sure there are very similar questions being asked. My situation is unique in that this sort of thing has happened to me before, but with significantly more malice. It seems one argument with a boyfriend and suddenly I lose access to my emails and my professional emails are getting ilicit emails from me to.

Ironically this recently happened. But of course these people are much more tech savvy than myself, and by the time I try to get round to proving it, I don't have enough evidence. It's gaslighting to the highest degree where SO MANY people think I am imagining it, that I question it. I take screenshots and they get replaced with uneventful ones from my computer stock.

Now I KNOW that there is a very sophisticated piece of spyware on my laptop in the hostel where I live. I managed to find its records and its "AI" going through different techniques when I made moves to cut it off from the internet. I am not having a good time at the moment - I can barely sleep, my father is dying, my family (because I was so upset that my privacy was invaded like this) think I just made it up cause I'm mad, despite showing them the evidence. Today is my birthday and I am alone, and I can barely use my computer without fear of someone else reading it.

I have reached out and it's done so well that I have been literally condescended and outcast, while my WORST FEAR ENTIRELY - my personal privacy and space is invdad to the highest degree. From what I can see, many of my documents were sent off before I Could even try to work out what was going on. I have diaries of my deepest secrets, feelings and most sensitive moments on here. I am currently using another account in hope vainly that I can spare myself some dignity.

I can understand suspicion and reasons for doing such a thing, but I think there were better ways of going about it, than making a vulnerable person feel more isolated. Literally this is tearing my apart.

Jesus I guess I wanted to vent but I am not exactly living the happiest situation. And I feel literally hopeless. Nobody believes me, I have no space or privacy. The most I get it condescension and "Well being a recovered drug addict that's what you get" - which is something I'm very proud of.

I tried to email the manager about it, but his nonchalant attitude and then edit to perfectly politeness was the same of everything. Honestly, I feel hopeless. I feel hollow. I found the T&Cs of the program and they declare "No damage" - but damage has DEFINITELY been done emotionally, physically, and socially. Not to mention my own screenshots swapped. But who will believe me? Not even my mother does. And my 25th today will be spent alone.

Any advice you can give would be appreciated?

http://imgur.com/a/g8UUt

Here is the ImGur of various bizarre things. As I posted I was fixing together, before it got put on hold...

Tbh I didn't expect much help due to societal judgement of people in my poition. So I'm not surprised it got shut down in the short time I put together the imgur. The level of sheer intolerance and snark wasn't very welcoming. Nevermind - suit yourselves. You know, I'm not uneducated and stupid - I know how to formulate a query, I'm just stressed.

Sean Stewart
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    I think that the police, and possibly a counselor / psychologist would be far more immediate and useful assistance than security.se – Οurous Jan 14 '17 at 04:37
  • Thank you for your advice, despite it being the part I didn't need. I have a counsellor, and a psychiatrist. I have actually been doing very well despite the stresses - but this complete invasion of my most private space, with nobody who will even listen to me about it is so insanely difficult. I'm more wondering how do deal with the fact I'm in a sort of lose-lose situation. – Sean Stewart Jan 14 '17 at 04:53
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    As it stands, you haven't provided any conclusive or actionable information. Can you post some examples of the "records" you have found, for instance? – tlng05 Jan 14 '17 at 04:55
  • (link)(http://i.imgur.com/t2n6mnE.png) this is the kind of thing that happens when I try to screenshot the console. Pictures get randomly replaced, etc. These were all pictures I took, identified, and changed. It has nothing to do with debugging. The screenies I take are simply removed/changed. I'll see what else I can get just now, but this is seriously my problem. – Sean Stewart Jan 14 '17 at 05:39
  • Also, modification of the dates to make it less plausible seems to be a common theme too. I know it's not hard do to becuse it've done it myself before. And besides it's the title of an image – Sean Stewart Jan 14 '17 at 05:42
  • I'd also like to note that these logs are hidden documents which can be easily opened with text-exit. So date changing isn't so extraordinary – Sean Stewart Jan 14 '17 at 06:04
  • [link](http://i.imgur.com/hml5YEC.png) There are various things such as these across the system tools too. – Sean Stewart Jan 14 '17 at 06:28
  • Your "basic links" link is a link to your personal email - we can't see it. UniversalAccessControl is a built-in Accessibility feature of Mac OS (there is nothing odd about that screenshot). Your console screenshot needs more context. The problem here is that you talk far more about your personal issues and provide no technical details. We can only help with the technical stuff. Can you edit your question to remove the personal background and stick to the things we can address here? – schroeder Jan 14 '17 at 08:17
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    For instance: "when I [provide a specific repeatable step], then [details of effect] happens". Then we can work through what's happening. – schroeder Jan 14 '17 at 08:19
  • IT is a link to my email because I had to blooming copy, make it a file and upload it somewhere quickly, as anything incriminating screenshot or otherwise is briefly destroyed. And I don't think I will cut out the context - I personally find it important. You might say "Just do a complete factory wipe" - that's 6 years of the life I used to have with photos and diaries that I might never see again. This is almost SACRED to me. I have been getting a drink. I will get you something more *subtantial* unless you'd like to examine the continual logs yourself. – Sean Stewart Jan 14 '17 at 09:24
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    From the screenshots, Adobe Reader has updated. They released a new version this week, which has had a number of tracking features added. There isn't any indication of anything more though. – Matthew Jan 14 '17 at 11:48
  • I did not shut this down because of who you are, but because of the lack of detail in the question. That's all. Nothing personal (I've been homeless, too). – schroeder Jan 14 '17 at 16:21
  • @SeanStewart you ask us to empathise with you, I'm asking you to empathise with us. If you want our help, then you need to give us what we need to help you. So far, you have not done that. – schroeder Jan 14 '17 at 16:30

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If it is your personal macbook you should be able to reset it to factory defaults ... here is a SE post about why wiping it is your best option.

If someone in the hostel is messing with or monitoring your connection to the internet, you could install TOR after doing your factory reset.

The mac should also have the ability to set a lock screen which isnt 100% secure, but will keep most people out of your stuff.

Once your Mac Book has been reset, TOR has been installed, and you have setup a lock screen ... you can keep an eye on /var/log/secure.log which can be used as proof of when people access your computer ... either by loging in with the keyboard or remotely via ssh.

Community
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CaffeineAddiction
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    You're dealing with hackers and academics, being warm is not our strong suit. We generally respond much better to raw technical info than a plea for sympathy. Though your situation is very moving and we're happy to help, try to avoid putting forward any guesses. Try asking; "do these logs show evidence of malware?". Because to me they do seem normal. – J.A.K. Jan 14 '17 at 14:37
  • Evidence or no, malware sucks and is sometimes hard to prove. In many cases with a personal computer its best to shoot first and ask questions later. Hackers and academics may not be warm but most of us have a healthy sense of paranoia, if something smells like fish the last thing I want to be told is that I am making it up. – CaffeineAddiction Jan 14 '17 at 17:35
  • I completely agree with your approach, and i think yours is the most understanding. The comment was rather a reaction to one of OP's, too bad it got deleted. I can see why the asker feels not taken seriously by some comments, while still making putting a lot of effort into this. And i'm trying to enable him in getting a good response. it's still amazing to me how much effort is put into some of the answers here if the question is formulated well. – J.A.K. Jan 14 '17 at 17:57