How to scan for KeyLogger on the old Mac mini?

Question

Level 1

4 points

How to scan for KeyLogger on the old Mac mini?

Hi

It's a long story but I'll try to be brief. I shared an apartment with a guy for a few years and he would sometimes use my Mac mini. I'm sure that he installed a key logger on that computer. It's an old intel Mac mini with snow leopard os.

I'd like to scan the old Mac so I can get some confirmation that a key logger was in fact installed before I take it to the police.

The old Mac mini is so old that it would be difficult to get an anti malware software to run on it I think. Also I don't want to use that Mac because of the suspected key logger. The best way forward I guess would be to start the Mac mini in hd mode and then scan the Mac mini as an external hd from my MacBook running Ventura.

Any thoughts? Is there a free/trial software that would let me do this?

[Re-Titled By Moderator]

Posted on Mar 17, 2024 6:40 AM

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Answer 1

Old Toad

Level 10

215,664 points

Mar 17, 2024 9:18 AM in response to renhoek1

Keyloggers would have to be installed on the boot drive else they would be ineffective if the external drive was disconnected.

With that in mind download and run Etrecheck.

Copy the report

and use the Additional Text button to paste the report in your reply.

Then we can examine the report and see if we can determine the cause of the problem.

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Answer 2

Kurt Lang

Level 9

68,590 points

Mar 17, 2024 8:18 AM in response to renhoek1

You could see if MalwareBytes for Mac finds anything.

It's free to use and easily uninstalled from the option in its menus when you're done with it.

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Answer 3

Kurt Lang

Level 9

68,590 points

Mar 17, 2024 8:38 AM in response to renhoek1

In that case, it's a moot point. You don't need to look for anything. Copy any data on the external drive you need to save to another source. Erase the external drive and copy your data back.

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Answer 4

renhoek1 Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 17, 2024 8:20 AM in response to Kurt Lang

Yes, looked at malwarebytes, but there's no option to scan an external drive in Mac OS, only in windows.

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Answer 5

John Galt

Level 10

155,666 points

Mar 17, 2024 5:24 PM in response to renhoek1

Keyloggers are not malware. No product is capable of determining if one is installed. Don't even look for one.

Fun fact: if you installed Google, then you installed a keylogger. Do you still want to "scan" for one?

Take your case to a qualified legal expert. This is no place for legal advice, and you need it.

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Answer 6

renhoek1 Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 18, 2024 1:41 AM in response to John Galt

Ok, thanks. I couldn't connect the Mac mini and the MacBook either way as it's firewire vs. usb-c. Do you think the police would investigate the Mac mini? It's pretty serious as in I have received death threats based on messages sent from my Facebook account.

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Answer 7

renhoek1 Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 17, 2024 4:40 PM in response to Old Toad

It is a boot drive. It's just so old (snow leopard) that I'll have to scan it as an external drive. Also if I connect to the internet the key logger will begin transmitting again.

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