How To Identify If Your Room-mate Is Using Your Computer

How To Identify If Your Room-mate Is Using Your Computer

Room-mates, they eat your food, wear your cloths, and snore really loudly! Sometimes, opportunities allow them to use your computer when you’re not around. If you suspect that your laptop or desktop being used by him, and you probably have a password for your lock screen but you’ve some reason to trust him who has guessed your password or somehow circumvented it in the recent past. Now it’s the time to start changing the password regularly! (And make it stronger). 

This article will explain you ‘how to sleuth-out trespassing room-mates, parents and even pesky little sisters’. 

Check your logs:

Almost every personal computer keeps a log event, a literally list, of every action that you’ve performed with time-stamped. So, you can see when each action occurred. The easiest way, to catch a suspected unauthorized user, is to put your computer in “sleep” when you leave, then check “wake” log events when you get back. 

This means, if the computer was woken-up during your absent, then you may see the extra/other activity too. Just study the logs and see if any extra activity occurred or not. Just think back to the time when you weren’t at your computer then see the logged events for the absent time, and make confirm that somebody is using your machine.

For Windows users, open the Event Viewer. Look for the Windows Log menu item on the right. Right click on Systems, and you’ll see all activity on your computer.

For Mac users, look for the Console App, which you can use to view your logs. When it opens, you’ll see “All Messages,” and you scroll up to go back in time. 

Check Your Browser History:

Smart people, in fact, delete their history, when they browse something in a web browser. But your room-mate may not be smart or maybe he’s smart enough to delete his digital bread-crumbs, and not smart enough to selectively delete them—so instead of just deleting his activity for the last hour, he deletes everything that includes all your past activities! So, no records will be showing to identify the dirty one. If there’s no suspicious browser activity, it doesn’t absolve your suspect. They could just be savvy enough to either delete only their own activity or use a private browser session. In this case, try setting up OpenDNS, a web service, which is free for personal use and it logs every web URL visited from your home network.

Software Solutions:

If your roommate is smart enough, they will get past all of those logs. But if you want to catch somebody in the act, you can leave your password unchanged and set a trap for them. The App Prey can help you to catch them and this software can track multiple devices, including Macs, Windows PCs, Android phones, and iOS devices. The software can tell where the device is located, lock the screen, send alert messages and even take a snap of the person using your device. There’s a free version, but other versions with more robust features cost money. You can also check out Keylogger Apps, which will capture any keys that are pressed on your keyboard. Try Revealer Keylogger for Windows or Elite Keylogger for Macs.

Cameras Won’t Lie:

Another option is a secret web-cam, if you dare to be extreme! In markets, more popular indoor security cam is available and they allow you to view a live-stream, even on your phone. When installing it, don’t place it anywhere near your computer—that would be too obvious. Hide it within a crowded bookshelf, inside a stuffed animal, or somewhere creative.