O.K., a friend of mine tells my she installed spyware on her fiance's computer and by remotely accessing his browsing activity, found out about some "innopropriate things". I told her not to worry about the porn sites, all guys do it if they don't think they'll get in trouble for it (i.e. work related). She then tells me it was more than that, provocative e-mails with a strange women. I'm not sure when the shit's going to hit the fan but its only a matter of time before she tells my S.O. the same story. Now I fear a similar fate (maybe worse). How do I protect my laptop? I've heard of spyware but I thought that was what dirty advertisers use to track your internet habits. I've used a free download called Malwarebytes to get rid of a couple of viruses but I don't know if it would detect spyware. I delete my browsing history every day but I watch the news enought to know that's probobly not enough. I'm running the free version of AVG also. I'm currently not under suspicion but I won't find out until its too late.
I appreiate any help but please explain in layman's terms. I'm not very profinient in I.T. as you can tell.

She probably installed a key-logger program. I've used them on my work computers before. Basically it does just that. Logs every key stroke. It can even send complete logs of activity to an email address.

I use CounterSpy to detect things like this and it works well.

confused about these products!  Malware , and spyware detectors search out and destroy crap that gets planted on your computer by all kinds of websites (ie, trojans, worms, keyloggers, etc)
They will NOT show you someones e mail.  What you described as the program SHE put in to his computer is a program to be able to get in to his private files, including email, and monitor him.
Very sweet of her, and she should have her fucking ass kicked for doing it.  Great start to a marriage, with that kind of trust!  Biotch!  (Don't worry ladies I would think he was the same type bottom feeding lowlife if he did it to her)
That just ain't right!  They also have the same programs for cell phones, which are also illegal in the US.  Of course the Japanese who invented this crap don't care, they are just a bunch of whores trying to make money!!!
Tell your lady friend she is a piece of rancid, runny shit for doing that!  It's invading his privacy, and if she feels the need to do it now, WTF will she do when she marries this poor guy!

That's just LOW, and most likely illegal!

I do agree that its an invasion of privacy, but what would be the difference in hiring a private detective. I can see that it is low and obviously there is some trust issues here. I guess without knowing the history of this couple I can only come to this conclusion. I suppose we all have our own feelings in wanting to know for sure on whether our partner is loyal or not. For most of us there word is sufficient.

Its difficult to ask too many questions about how she found out while she's focussed on telling me that he may be cheating. However, it sounds like she found a product online, paid to put it on his laptop, and logged on from her comp to see the activity. I don't disagree with your assessment of her nor am I defending her but if it turns out he is cheating, who's the rancid, runny shit then, both?. I had a coworker do this at home to monitor her 15 yo daughter and found out a former teacher was getting a little too friendly in a teenager's chatroom. I know that's apples and oranges but my point is that these products have a positive purpose too.

Anyway, my concern is my own butt now. Can these malware products prevent spyware downloads or just detect them when I run a scan? If not do I run a scan everytime my laptop may have been compromised? Can they detect the pre-installed history even if I deleted the history (cookies and everything)? I know LE can can find all kinds of things for really serious crimes. I actually think that could be suspisious if there is never any history. Do I smash my laptop and start over, LOL?

First off...what she's using isn't "malware". It's simply a software program that performs a task.
Your AVG is anti-virus. It looks for viruses. You need an anti spyware program as well (everyone does) like CounterSpy. I'm not affiliated with the program at all...but it's the only one that could find the keylogger program I installed on my work computers (and yes...it's totally legal. Not only did my lawyer approve it...he asked where to get it so he could use it in his office as well...LOL).
An anti spyware program can be run whenever you want, or set to do an automatic scan at a set time...just like your AVG. Use CCleaner after every browsing session to erase everything.
Easy Peasy.

How much would I expect to pay for Counter Spy? What is CCleaner and is it a part of Counter Spy, a different product, or is it standard on my comp now?
Good info DD, I appreciate it.

Counter Spy is 19.95 a year.
CCleaner is free.
Each is a separate program and not included with your operating system. Google each product name and it will give you all the info you need.
When installing these or anything else, go through the process slowly. Look for checkmarks in boxes that install toolbars or sign you up to send info back to the company for 'improvement of their software'. Don't just click "next" and zip through the installation process.

No one should have admin rights to your computer besides your self.

Secondly, create a different account for day-to-day uses without Admin privilege. This also eliminate some trojans, viruses and spyware.

Anon hit it on the head. without admin rights nothing can be installed.
The other way to look at it is if you are not in the geek trades questions about why you have such things on your computer will come up then you will have to explain about why you feel you need them. If a SO is going to research about browsing discovery methods and software, they will probably also look for common countermeasures.

I am not saying though that CC Cleaner, spyware/malware detection and AV should not be on everyones computer. They should be on everyones computer and used often, they are not made to stop this type of software though.

Buy a secret cheap 2nd computer - the "netbooks" run only 200-300 - then add a password,  keep it at work, your gym locker, somewhere secure and safe - and assume you will just burn it if the need ever arises.

best never to use it at home - just work - and at most work places, there is a unsecure network that some tenant left open - use that, not your workplace internet connection.

If you have to use it at home, put it in a hidden location when in use (eg use duct tape to tape it to the back of a file cabinet), and get a KVM switch (lets you hook two computers to a single keyboard, video, and mouse; one flick of a key and the screen goes from one to the other.  Then browse/communicate to your hearts content - if you hear the spouse coming, flick the key and bring the spreadsheet with work back up.

get an anonymous email or other account and store any and all files on that site.

has to desire to use my ratty old slow one.  Gee, did I forget to mention the new boards in mine?

IMHO, I think a NSA overwrite program is the way to go it you need to clean the machine.  

I GF is suspicious, then you've already screwed up.  
BTW,  If one is planning a big step, I can not imagine continuing to hobby...  at least at that time.  Hope for the best!  

I sincerely hope you've been careful to not leave tracks in your hobbying...  It is much better to be careful than to try to clean up tracks after the fact.
skb

Assuming she may have already installed a key-stroke logger, which is not malware or a virus, as pointed out. Depending on the code and how it was installed, even something like counterspy might not find it.

First, go out and get a bootable linux thumb drive - see link. You can make or buy.

Second, find your recovery disks, if you have them.

Third, your "computer got a virus and crashed" and you have to reformat the hard disk (google it, it ain't that hard) and re-install the OS.

Fourth, setup the admin account that must be used to install software.

Fifth, create user accounts for everyone with no admin privileges, and individual passwords.

Sixth, boot from the Linux thumb drive to do your dirty work.

and delete HER!  I am not just arguing this point and stupidly sticking up for him.  If they are engaged, and serious, and he is fucking around...he's a dog.  BUT

I have this thing about people planting crap like this on someone elses computer, or cellphone!  Bad enuff with all the wiretaps that keep getting uncovered, but this is just an intrusion of his privacy.
No one even looks at my cell phone, and with the partitions I have set up on my computer, they can't get to my e mail, but then no one tries!
I look at nothing of theirs!  I just feel there is something inherently wrong with the jeolousy turns to snooping, turns to installing a remote spy program...etc.  Why fucking even get engaged, or worse get married if the trust is so thin!?

There, My rant on stupid people who insist on having a relationship but have no trust in each other, and have to resort to that shit!

It Ain'T Right!  LOL

be remote contol app, similar to what is built into window. there are many out there, some which cannot be detected by a user. basically the other person can "remote in" an view everyrhing you are doing, without you knowing. we use a french product called VNC at work. its completely free. i admin over 2000 pcs over a wan and the web both. i can tell everything a user has typed, where the have surfed, even watch there screen real time. i can also take over their mouse, keyboard or any function, including erase their hard drive. completely legal, unless done without permission . which in our case is part of our company policy.

there is goog advice from several people here. especially about protecting your pc eith admin rights.

the linux thumb drive is not needed, its just a cool geek sorta thing.

my pc is in my living room. kids, etc can get to it, but NO one can set anything up.

but. .. watch out for hardware keyloggers that can be plugged into the back of your pc. just be smart and inspect your system & learn a little about security if you can

Download the new version of Firefox. In the privacy section, there is an option "never remember history".  So when you close Firefox, all surfing history is cleaned.

My understanding is that in most states, it is illegal to install software like that on a computer you do not own.

How you want to deal with it is another question entirely.  If it were me, i'd kick her to the curb and tell her that if she tells anyone anything about what she found out on the computer, she'll be going to jail for breaking the law.

If she did not own the computer on which she installed the surveillance software, then she has committed a crime by stealing communications information (Privacy Act information) that was not hers to have from that machine.  This is most definitely not like hiring a private investigator, as was suggested in one of the posts.  

Sharing the administrator password left him wide open for exploitation of his machine.  It is the worst possible practice to share administrator passwords with individuals who can potentially compromise the integrity of your system.

There was a post in Suggestion and Policy a short while back that recommended a TER Security board, which I think is a great idea.  It would address questions exactly like this and many others regarding IT security as well as operating security.

suggestions in this thread for slowing down discovery or totally stopping an amateur.  The various "Delete" and "Clean" programs keep stuff off your screen but if you "went there" or "typed that" it's on your hard drive and can be recovered with the proper equipment and expertise.

Also, the books, movies, stories, etc. that refer to destroying your hard drive are ignoring the fact that Firefox, Google, Yahoo, etc have it ALL archived.  That will be fertile ground for lawyers for decades.

Don't be paranoid (we are already way past Big Brother)but accept that the risk is part of the price of doing "business."

-- Modified on 5/6/2010 4:09:43 PM

Although I'm not an expert on the matter, I think there may be some room for further clarification.

There are a number of very thorough utilities that will empty caches and overwrite deleted files with random bit patterns that render a forensic professional's job completely futile on a properly maintained machine.

Also, as far as the ISP and search engine archives go, this information is not on the user's machine but is in the domain of the service enterprise (Google, Yahoo, etc.).  If you're not spoofing your IP address with an IP redirection service, then you are indeed leaving a breadcrumb trail out there that leads directly back to you.  However, this information is not something that a curious significant other will find.

For the scenario described by the OP, if you are operating unwittingly with surveillance software on your machine, it's game over anyway.