My Mac is hacked

I see lots of people who say they have been hacked. It is extraordinarily rare that they are actually right. More often, they are misinterpreting some normal event or some common (or uncommon) problem that is not hacking related. Of course, hacking isn't strictly impossible, either. So, we need you to describe your problem in more detail. What exactly are you seeing that makes you believe you have been hacked?

Sounds like the predominant theme is that your cursor is moving around on its own, which is almost a guarantee that you haven't been hacked - or if you have, it's by a very amateurish hacker, probably with physical access to the machine or with access to your Apple ID. For some possible explanations, see:

My mouse keeps moving around on its own, as if someone is remotely controlling my Mac!

Since you mention that the problem didn't occur at the Genius Bar, it's possible that the problem is caused by some Bluetooth device at your home or office. Or it could just be that it's too sporadic to appear when you want it to. 🙂

(Fair disclosure: I may receive compensation from links to my sites, TheSafeMac.com and AdwareMedic.com, in the form of buttons allowing for donations. Donations are not required to use my site or software.)

I'm not sure why you think the link I gave you proposes no solutions. There are MANY possible solutions proposed there. The fact that anti-virus software is not a solution does not mean that there are no solutions.

The fact that you have already erased your hard drive and reinstalled the system is further evidence that this is not a hack. If anything malicious had been installed, this would remove it, unless it was done improperly and system components or settings files were restored from backup.

From OP

7. There have been a few times, when the cursor has moved by itself, with me just sitting back and watching it.

8. The hacker has used my screen and the icons on the screen in order to communicate certain concepts and themes

9. When I write emails or letters, it will move my cursor to certain parts of the screen to communicate its approval or disapproval.

Let's be honest, isn't this really the kind of virus we would all like to have? Something that lets the user sit back and watch, while it communicates concepts and themes and communicates its approval or disapproval to incoming email without intervention on user part. 😀

Does any of these symptoms show up when wifi and other network connections are switched off?

Good question. Initially when all this started, I turned off my wifi in order to work on some proposals in MS word. Strange to say the hacker was still here. It's something I hate to admit because several people have told me it's impossible except for one security expert.

Well, I don't think you'll find many people here that would agree with that single security expert. And even if this kind of hacking were theoretically possible, the effort would be humongous.

AdriennaZ wrote:

Initially when all this started, I turned off my wifi in order to work on some proposals in MS word. Strange to say the hacker was still here. It's something I hate to admit because several people have told me it's impossible except for one security expert (who only did corporate work, had no interest to spend time with a self-employed person and because he had no experience with macs).

Then that clinches it. If wifi is off, Bluetooth is off and it's not connected to a network directly via Ethernet, and there's no cellular hardware involved for allowing wireless internet, it is literally impossible for a hacker to be controlling your Mac. The fact that you saw the behavior when there was no network connection shows that this is something else... hardware problem, software problem, etc. See the other solutions in the document I referred you to. If you get yourself stuck on thinking of this as a hack, you'll probably never find your solution.

Also, please note that I'm not trying to ridicule or dismiss you in saying this isn't a hack. I'm just trying to get you to see what the facts indicate, and help you find your way to a solution to the problem at hand.

There are several possible causes for this issue. Please take each of the following steps that you haven't already tried until it's resolved. Some may not apply in your case.

1. Follow the instructions in this support article, and also this one, if applicable. A damaged or defective AC adapter could be the cause, even if it's the right kind.

2. Press down all four corners of the trackpad at once and release. If there's any effect, it's likely to be temporary, and in that case the unit must be serviced or replaced.

3. Open the Bluetooth preference pane in System Preferences and delete all pointing devices other than the trackpad, if applicable. Disconnect any USB pointing devices. By a "pointing device," I mean a peripheral that moves the cursor, such as a trackpad, mouse, trackball, or graphics tablet. A plain keyboard is not a pointing device.

4. Start up in safe mode and test, preferably without launching any third-party applications. If you don't have the problem in safe mode, but it comes back when you restart as usual, stop here and post your results. Do the same if you can't start in safe mode. If there was no difference in safe mode, go on to the next step.

5. Reset the System Management Controller.

6. If you're using a Bluetooth trackpad or mouse, investigate potential sources of interference, including USB 3 devices.

7. A swollen battery in a portable computer can impinge on the trackpad from below and cause erratic behavior. If you have trouble clicking the trackpad, this is likely the reason. The battery must be replaced without delay.

8. A defective peripheral device or a damaged cable can cause the built-in trackpad of a MacBook to behave erratically. If you're using any wired peripherals, disconnect them one at a time and test.

9. There's also a report of erratic cursor movements caused by an external display that was connected but not turned on.

10. If none of the above applies, or if you have another reason to think that your computer is being remotely controlled, remove it from the network by turning off Wi-Fi (or your Wi-Fi access point), disconnecting from a Bluetooth network link, and unplugging the Ethernet cable or USB modem, whichever is applicable. If the cursor movements stop at once, you should suspect an intrusion.

11. Make a "Genius" appointment at an Apple Store to have the machine and/or external trackpad tested.

Andrienna,

if part of the issue is erratic mouse behavior, check out some of these threads with various possibilities.

Troubleshooting wireless mouse and keyboard issues - Apple Support

Macbook Pro cursor jumping around

Mouse on 27" iMac (Early 2013) keeps jumping around screen

or external source

http://www.cnet.com/news/troubleshooting-jumpy-mouse-cursors-in-os-x/

I don't have any way of knowing why something happened 3.5 years ago. If you took Step 10, and the unexpected cursor movements did not stop, then they are not caused by remote control.