You can have intruders on your computer with both physical and remote access. Think, for example, when someone has been able to take your PC in an oversight, if you have left it on a table in a library, at work, etc. Also think of a hacker who has gained remote access through some variety of malware. Now, how can you detect this? We will give some tips for it.
How to see if someone has entered the computer
Having intruders on your computer means that they can access everything you have stored. This includes documents, passwords stored in the browser, installed programs, logging into your accounts, etc. It is a major issue that puts your security and privacy at risk. For this reason it is convenient detect when there could be intruders.
Recent activity in Windows
The first thing you can do in Windows 11 is view recent activity. It is very simple, unless this function is disabled. Simply click on Start and there, at the bottom, you will see recommendations. The last files that have been opened on that computer will appear.
If, for example, you see that there is a document that has been opened recently (even the time that has passed appears) and it was not you, you can think that there has been an intruder. Someone may have gained access to your system and opened files or created new content without your permission.
Events viewer
Something similar happens with the Windows Event Viewer. You can see the activity that Windows has had, the logins, etc. If you have supposedly had the equipment turned off but you see that there have been multiple events, that means that someone has been able to access and have control over that equipment.
To do this you have to press the Windows + R key combination and run eventvwr.msc. Once opened you have to click on Windows Registry and Security. There, in the new box that will open, you will see all the information to find possible anomalies that do not correspond to the legitimate use of your computer.
browsing history
You can also go to the browser Google Chrome, MozillaFirefox or the one you use and see the browsing history. It is another very simple option to see if someone has been able to enter your computer. Logically, it has been able to enter incognito mode or delete the history, but it is another option that you can take into account.
In the case of Chrome, go to the menu at the top right, click on History and the last pages opened will appear. If you click again Record you will be able to see everything more thoroughly to see the exact moment in which a page has been opened, for example. In other browsers it is similar.
installed programs
You can see if there has been any intrusion or unwanted access if you see programs installed that shouldn’t have appeared. Icons may simply appear on the Windows desktop, but you can also go directly to the Applications section and see everything that is installed there.
You have to go to Start, enter Settings, Applications and go to Applications and features. There you will see all the programs that are installed in Windows. If you see something strange, it may be a virus or someone has entered your computer without permission and installed it.
Records
One more sign that can indicate that someone has entered your team is if they have appeared strange files. For example folders that you have not created, documents on the desktop, in the downloads folder, etc. This could also tell us that someone has been able to gain physical or remote access to the system.
As in the previous cases, this is not a 100% accurate signal, since an intruder can simply erase the trail he has left. However, to have a more basic view is another solution.
In short, with these basic tips you can see if someone has been able to enter your computer without your permission. It is important to increase the security of the remote desktop if you use it and thus avoid problems.