[drdbthompson]

Hi! I'm new around here, but not new to fora (forums? ;))...

I've noticed some odd behavior on my desktop Mac the last couple of weeks and wonder if it could be a browser issue. The machine is a dual G5 PowerMac. My internet connection is currently direct through the Clearwire modem. I know, it's not the best, but the rest of my stuff is still in Texas. When I get my family moved out here I'll have a router for the house.

I've turned off Airport and Bluetooth, so the only thing wireless is the mouse and keyboard (Logitech 530). I thought those might have something to do with it...

Now for the behavior. Sometimes I night I hear the bonking of my computer. (The bonk is the error sound.) Last night I was working in an Omniweb window (required Omni-product content :)) and the mouse cursor took off and clicked on one of the open tabs, changing focus. Then it tried to find a couple of other fields in the browser.

I was pretty freaked out.

I know something is up, but I'm darned if I can figure it out.

I came to the computer a few mornings ago and found a web site up I didn't load. It was a place where one asks for an insurance quote. The fields were filled with bogus data, so no harm was done.

I don't have sensitive information on this computer that's not protected in the keychain (and that requires my password).

Does anyone have any idea what this might be? Is it an Omniweb issue? I prefer to use Omniweb for my browsing because it's the best browser for me, and I've tried a lot of them. But, that's another issue and another story.

Somebody, help me, please... :D

Thanks for listening (reading)...

[Forrest]

Do you have a VNC server installed?

[drdbthompson]

Originally Posted by Forrest

Do you have a VNC server installed?

That was a good call. I just started poking around and found that, yes indeed, there is a VNC server installed! It must be a hangover from some earlier (like two years ago) work I was doing to provide access to my machine when I was working at home and it was at the office.

It is now shut down. In my previous life I worked on computers in fits and spurts as a syadmn. I ran a handful of linux boxen, a few Winder$ machines, plus my Macs. It's amazing what one does as a university professor. :)

I miss my router and NAT! Now I wonder what else I've got in here that's open.

Thanks and I'll see if this gets the culprit.

I wonder if I can set up a tar pit? ;)

[Forrest]

Yeah, VNC has had some known exploits. I've had two machines get hacked into because of it.

[drdbthompson]

Originally Posted by Forrest

Yeah, VNC has had some known exploits. I've had two machines get hacked into because of it.

I'm headed for Texas this weekend and am going to return with my spare router. I'll bridge off the home network and that should reduce my exposure.

VNC is now history, BTW. In fact, I scratched the entire darwinports directory. If I need those programs again, I'll re-install from source.

Thanks so much for your help.