[SOLVED] Strange behavior, cursor moving on its own

[Nuno_pedro]

Hello guys!

Here is the deal. A few weeks ago my computer started acting in a weird way. At first I didn't really associate this behavior to anything harmful. It was things like a browser tab opened that I didn't remember opening for a while, or that private window of the browser being left open and I didn't remember even using it. At first I thought this was because I was just exhausted from work.

But then, a few days ago, after I was some time away from the computer (i do this a lot because I have kids so i don't like to constantly being shutting down and powering up the system) I came to see the mouse cursor moving. At first I thought there must be something wrong with my mouse, but as soon as I picked up the mouse it stopped.

Then as I thought a bit about it, it all started coming together and I came to the conclusion that I may have been hacked somehow. I ran a bunch of security tools (since my previous antivirus obviously caught nothing) and there were several suspicious files. I used some of these tools to disable absolutely everything I didn't know what it was.

So far, nothing weird happened again. But I'm now thinking that I may have to format this drive, which will be a pain because I have quite a lot of software and games, although nothing really important or vital. What do you guys think?

 

[Herr B]

Unlikely that you have been hacked and s1 is using your mouse.

Is the sensor under the mouse clean? A hair might be stuck in it or so. Do you use a mouse pad? Is the pad clean?

If not, what's the surface under mouse?

 

[Nuno_pedro]

Mouse is perfectly normal. That was the first thing I checked. An the cursor was not going in the same direction as it happens when you have something on the surface. I've seen that.

Maybe I should have waited to see what was going to do. But I didn't even think!

 

[Ralston18]

And remember even with kids you do not need to continually shutdown the computer when going away and then restarting when you return.

Just use "WIN" + "L" to lock the screen. Then reenter your password when you return.

And be sure that you are regularly backing up your system with an image/restoration points in order to make a recovery much easier. Not an "if" situation. It will be a "when".

Lastly what make and model mouse? Consider reinstalling the drivers - current installation could be buggy or become corrupted.

 

[Herr B]

And remember even with kids you do not need to continually shutdown the computer when going away and then restarting when you return.

Just use "WIN" + "L" to lock the screen. Then reenter your password when you return.

And be sure that you are regularly backing up your system with an image/restoration points in order to make a recovery much easier. Not an "if" situation. It will be a "when".

Lastly what make and model mouse? Consider reinstalling the drivers - current installation could be buggy or become corrupted.

agree. good idea would be to try with a different mouse as well (if one happens to be at home) or if the issue appearsregularly now, just unplug the mouse to see if the mouse still moves in windows.

A dirty sensor does not mean, the mouse will always move the same way or direction. It can have many results. Stuttery mouse, jumping mouse, slowly creeping mouse, inconsistent movement and so on

 

[carocuore]

Unlikely that you have been hacked and s1 is using your mouse.

Is the sensor under the mouse clean? A hair might be stuck in it or so. Do you use a mouse pad? Is the pad clean?

If not, what's the surface under mouse?

A dirty mouse sensor can't open a browser window on itself.

Windows can be remotely controlled

 

[Nuno_pedro]

A dirty mouse sensor can't open a browser window on itself.

Yeah... if it was only the mouse I would let it go as some sort of malfunction. Anyway. This whole day the mouse has done nothing, nothing weird going on, even with me being absent. I will see, but I'm getting a little paranoid right now and I'll probably end up reinstalling windows.

 

[Herr B]

A dirty mouse sensor can't open a browser window on itself.

Windows can be remotely controlled

Meanwhile hackers have different means to access a computer and rather stay unseen...
Except it was a kid pulling off a joke/prank

I've already hat mice clicking, scrolling and moving by them selves. They were from r. A. T.

Friend reported same issue With the same mouse.

But yeah. Better safe than sorry always a good approach. Can't hurt to set windows up freshly.

 

[mdd1963]

When in doubt as to possible malware, especially remote access....

NUKE AND PAVE! Delete partitions, reinstall! (As it takes about 5 minutes these days to install WIn10 from USB media to an SSD, this should easily be a solution worthy of consideration!

 

[Nuno_pedro]

Yeah guys, I'm going to nuke this windows instalation. Mouse seems absolutely fine and although the weird stuff has stopped after I removed suspicious stuff from startup, I'm not gonna risk it.