VNC is freaking me out!

[Weary Trav]

Hello everyone,
A few months ago I started using VNC in order to access my office computer from my Iphone 4. Since I have started using it, I have noticed that at times my command prompt opens up all of a sudden and it starts executing some commands that I have not entered. Also, today I noticed another peculiar occurrence that drove me to seek for help: Last night I accessed my computer though VNC, after using it, I closed the ios app and went to sleep, and today morning when I started using my office computer, I accidentally pressed ctrl+v instead of ctrl+c while trying to copy some text and what I noticed was that a message I had sent on my phone a few days ago appeared on screen!
I was taken aback as to how a message sent on my phone found its way onto my computer's copy paste buffer. Immediately I cleared the buffer and tested to see if VNC is the problem. I accessed my computer through the VNC app on my phone and disconnected. When I checked the buffer again by typing "clipbrd" in the command prompt, it contained a message that I had sent on my phone earlier that day!
What the heck is going on?? Is it bug in VNC?? Has my system been comprimised? I don't understand... Can anyone tell me how to stop this!!
Note, I have paid for the app in my phone and runs the latest ios, and on my system the VNC server is free, hence it only supports unencrypted communication. My ESET smart security does not register any form of malware and is updated with the latest signature.
Please, can anyone tell me what to do?
Thanks in advance and regards,
Weary Traveller

[Long, Phillip GOSS]

-----Original Message-----
From: Weary Trav
Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2012 3:44 AM

Hello everyone,

<snip>

seek for help: Last night I accessed my computer though VNC, after
using it, I closed the ios app and went to sleep, and today morning
when I started using my office computer, I accidentally pressed
ctrl+v instead of ctrl+c while trying to copy some text and what I
noticed was that a message I had sent on my phone a few days ago
appeared on screen!

<snip>

Thanks in advance and regards,
Weary Traveller
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Weary:

VNC synchronizes the copy and paste buffers between the client and
the server; thus, the email U saw is probably in the clipboard of
your iPhone.

Thx, tanstaafl

--------------------------------------------------------

Goss ... Innovation for Business

NOTICE: This e-mail and any attachment(s) may contain confidential and proprietary information of Goss International Corporation and/or its subsidiaries and may be legally privileged. This e-mail is intended solely for the addressee. If you are not the addressee, dissemination, copying or other use of this e-mail or any of its content is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. If you are not the intended recipient please inform the sender immediately and destroy the e-mail and any copies. All liability for viruses is excluded to the fullest extent permitted by law. Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender. No contract may be construed by this e-mail.

[Linda Hawksworth]

Hi Phillip

When you connect from VNC Viewer on your Android device to VNC Server on
your PC, the contents of their clipboards are shared. This is a feature
designed to enhance your productivity. See
http://www.realvnc.com/products/android/#transfer.

If you are concerned for the security of your clipboard data in
transmission, then you can encrypt connections. VNC Viewer for Android
comes with encryption capabilities built-in, but these are only enabled
for connections to VNC Server with a Personal or an Enterprise license. We
recommend you upgrade the VNC license on your PC; please note 30 day
trials are available from www.realvnc.com/products/vnc/licensing.

Regards
Linda Hawksworth
RealVNC Customer Support

Please ensure you Reply to All and keep the subject line to ensure that
your support ticket is appropriately tracked.


-----Original Message-----
From: vnc-list-***@realvnc.com [mailto:vnc-list-***@realvnc.com]
On Behalf Of Long, Phillip GOSS
Sent: 06 December 2012 14:50
To: vnc-***@realvnc.com
Subject: RE: VNC is freaking me out!

-----Original Message-----
From: Weary Trav
Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2012 3:44 AM

Hello everyone,

<snip>

seek for help: Last night I accessed my computer though VNC, after using
it, I closed the ios app and went to sleep, and today morning when I
started using my office computer, I accidentally pressed
ctrl+v instead of ctrl+c while trying to copy some text and what I
noticed was that a message I had sent on my phone a few days ago appeared
on screen!

<snip>

Thanks in advance and regards,
Weary Traveller
_______________________________________________
VNC-List mailing list
VNC-***@realvnc.com
To remove yourself from the list visit:
http://www.realvnc.com/mailman/listinfo/vnc-list




Weary:

VNC synchronizes the copy and paste buffers between the client and the
server; thus, the email U saw is probably in the clipboard of your iPhone.

Thx, tanstaafl

--------------------------------------------------------

Goss ... Innovation for Business

NOTICE: This e-mail and any attachment(s) may contain confidential and
proprietary information of Goss International Corporation and/or its
subsidiaries and may be legally privileged. This e-mail is intended solely
for the addressee. If you are not the addressee, dissemination, copying or
other use of this e-mail or any of its content is strictly prohibited and
may be unlawful. If you are not the intended recipient please inform the
sender immediately and destroy the e-mail and any copies. All liability
for viruses is excluded to the fullest extent permitted by law. Any views
expressed in this message are those of the individual sender. No contract
may be construed by this e-mail.

[Mike Miller]

Post by Weary Trav
A few months ago I started using VNC in order to access my office
computer from my Iphone 4. Since I have started using it, I have noticed
that at times my command prompt opens up all of a sudden and it starts
executing some commands that I have not entered.

Anyone? Doesn't that mean he's been hacked? I can't think of another
explanation for that.

Mike

[Dale Eshelman]

I believe you are correct. I have only seen this when someone hacked into the system and was actually using it to send spam, etc.
Secure the system, find the backdoor program likely installed. Password everything. Change all passwords.

This stopped it for us.

Post by Weary Trav
A few months ago I started using VNC in order to access my office computer from my Iphone 4. Since I have started using it, I have noticed that at times my command prompt opens up all of a sudden and it starts executing some commands that I have not entered.

Anyone? Doesn't that mean he's been hacked? I can't think of another explanation for that.

Mike

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VNC-***@realvnc.com
To remove yourself from the list visit:
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Dale Eshelman
***@gmail.com

MonaVie (Distr ID 1316953)
http://www.monavie.com/Web/US/en/product_overview.dhtml

Kaching Kaching, Inc. (KCKC.OB)
http://www.mykachingkaching.com/daleeshelman

The closer I get to the pain of glass in Windoz, the farther I can see and I see a Mac on the horizon. Made by Apple - the best personal computers in the world.
"Do you want to sell sugar water for the rest of your life or come with me and have s chance to change the world." (Steven Paul Jobs)

[John Serink]

Probably not.

There was some stuff he had on the clipboard of the iPhone that he didn't realise, connected to the host, the clip boards sync up and there it is, on the hosts clipboard.

Why are you lot so 'wanting' the problem to be 'he's been hacked!'?

Computers are machines, no different than lawn mowers. They do what they are told, "EXACTLY what they are told". They don't do what you want them to do, they do what you tell them to do. There is a big difference between the two.

Most problems are the result of misunderstanding how the sw works, like in this case.

I'm fairly sure the question has been answered and we can move on.

Cheers,
John


Sent from my iPhone

Post by Dale Eshelman

Post by Weary Trav
A few months ago I started using VNC in order to access my office computer from my Iphone 4. Since I have started using it, I have noticed that at times my command prompt opens up all of a sudden and it starts executing some commands that I have not entered.

Anyone? Doesn't that mean he's been hacked? I can't think of another explanation for that.
Mike
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VNC-List mailing list
http://www.realvnc.com/mailman/listinfo/vnc-list

[Christopher Woods (CM)]

Let's be careful to not conflate two issues: if you disconnect from a
server the clipboard won't be cleared. However, the arbitrary execution
of commands in a spontaneously opened console definitely seems
suspicious to me. Certainly worthy of yanking the ethernet until I'd run
a full disinfect and malware scan.

Post by John Serink
Probably not.
There was some stuff he had on the clipboard of the iPhone that he didn't realise, connected to the host, the clip boards sync up and there it is, on the hosts clipboard.
Why are you lot so 'wanting' the problem to be 'he's been hacked!'?
Computers are machines, no different than lawn mowers. They do what they are told, "EXACTLY what they are told". They don't do what you want them to do, they do what you tell them to do. There is a big difference between the two.
Most problems are the result of misunderstanding how the sw works, like in this case.
I'm fairly sure the question has been answered and we can move on.
Cheers,
John
Sent from my iPhone

Post by Dale Eshelman

Post by Weary Trav
A few months ago I started using VNC in order to access my office computer from my Iphone 4. Since I have started using it, I have noticed that at times my command prompt opens up all of a sudden and it starts executing some commands that I have not entered.

Anyone? Doesn't that mean he's been hacked? I can't think of another explanation for that.
Mike
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http://www.realvnc.com/mailman/listinfo/vnc-list

_______________________________________________
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[Mike Miller]

Post by John Serink
Probably not.
There was some stuff he had on the clipboard of the iPhone that he
didn't realise, connected to the host, the clip boards sync up and there
it is, on the hosts clipboard.

Post by Mike Miller

Post by Weary Trav
I have noticed that at times my command prompt opens up all of a
sudden and it starts executing some commands that I have not entered.

Why are you lot so 'wanting' the problem to be 'he's been hacked!'?

I don't want anything, but I don't know what could cause that.

Post by John Serink
Computers are machines, no different than lawn mowers. They do what they
are told, "EXACTLY what they are told". They don't do what you want them
to do, they do what you tell them to do. There is a big difference
between the two.

But he said the computer was "executing commands that I have not entered."
This would be like the lawn mower going down the street and mowing someone
else's lawn. But thanks for teaching us how computers work.

Mike

Post by John Serink
Sent from my iPhone

Post by Mike Miller

Post by Weary Trav
A few months ago I started using VNC in order to access my office
computer from my Iphone 4. Since I have started using it, I have
noticed that at times my command prompt opens up all of a sudden and
it starts executing some commands that I have not entered.

Anyone? Doesn't that mean he's been hacked? I can't think of another
explanation for that.
Mike