When I Typed The 1st letter In Sign-In Box On FACEBOOK Had Multi ScreenNames &Email Address Pop Up+

Two Issues :

#1) Today when I started to log into Facebook, I usually just punch in the first letter of my screen name and I can select my screen name in witout typing it out ( Know what this is called just can't remember the word right now) Continuing, When I push in the first letter I notice a list of about 12 other names including old screen names from my family which I believe they don't use any more (Will have to check with them) even what seemed to be there E-mail addresses. Now I am 100% sure that more of the people on the list have never logged on with my computer so, my question is the: How can this happen and does anyone have any info. on this subject, has this happened to anyone here reading this post before?

#2) For about the last year or so I have been noticing a brown outline on Sign-In boxes,etc.. and even here when I am typing this post, it is all over the web wherever you go. Does anyone know what this is for or have any info. on this? I know it maybe some basic computer program, but I am just wondering.

[edit on 12-8-2010 by ShadowRamesses]

If I recall correctly, I'm fairly certain e-mail address fields in online forms that are given the same "ID" in the programming will recall all e-mail addresses submitted on a computer from your browser regardless of which website. This is only true if Auto-Complete is enabled. So, if I were to type in my email address when signing up for the ATS message boards, it is possible for my email address to show up in another drop-down menu on a completely different website I've never visited. Note though, that this doesn't carry over from computer to computer. It should be isolated to one machine.

sounds like you have two things that could be happening

Somebody else uses your PC and its saving their info

You have had a virus/trojan and have been haxored.

Things for you to do:

Clear all history and cache from your browser and run an antivirus and spy ware tool. Then check back in and if you have new history saved and logins saved and nobody was on you know that you have an issue.

[edit on 12-8-2010 by whoshotJR]

EDIT: Sorry whoshotJr - didn't mean to repeat your suggestion - started typing, walked away and then submitted without knowing your post was there. *face palm*

Perhaps the email addresses which you cannot account for are present from your friends/family logging into any number of other browser based email services or social networking sites. Once is all your computer needs to remember.

More likely than not, if you think the person(s) in question didn't use your computer, then maybe they were using your machine without permission. Just a theory. :-)

[edit on 12-8-2010 by Seleras]

Originally posted by Seleras
If I recall correctly, I'm fairly certain e-mail address fields in online forms that are given the same "ID" in the programming will recall all e-mail addresses submitted on a computer from your browser regardless of which website. This is only true if Auto-Complete is enabled. So, if I were to type in my email address when signing up for the ATS message boards, it is possible for my email address to show up in another drop-down menu on a completely different website I've never visited. Note though, that this doesn't carry over from computer to computer. It should be isolated to one machine.

That's what I mean, these addresses where never typed into my facebook account or at anytime using this ISP I am currently using now, from this (My) computer, and these were old screen names I believe they do not use anymore, so the Auto-Complete should never of happened, this only happened once today for the first time, it even popped up E-mail addresses that I did not know that people had, but I could tell it was theirs because of initials of people I know and could recognize who they belonged to.

Originally posted by whoshotJR
sounds like you have two things that could be happening

Somebody else uses your PC and its saving their info

You have had a virus/trojan and have been haxored.

Nobody else has used my computer, unless they came into my home got on my computer and left, but I don't believe this is possible? Could I be wrong, is this the only way it could of happened, besides a trojan virus, what about remote access?


Define : haxored?

[edit on 12-8-2010 by ShadowRamesses]

Hmm... interesting. Looking into the wild green yonder on this one, but is your computer a fresh install? Was your O/S installation ever transferred from another hard drive to your current machine - or was there any form of migration in any way? Thanks!

Originally posted by Seleras
EDIT: Sorry whoshotJr - didn't mean to repeat your suggestion - started typing, walked away and then submitted without knowing your post was there. *face palm*

Perhaps the email addresses which you cannot account for are present from your friends/family logging into any number of other browser based email services or social networking sites. Once is all your computer needs to remember.

More likely than not, if you think the person(s) in question didn't use your computer, then maybe they were using your machine without permission. Just a theory. :-)

[edit on 12-8-2010 by Seleras]

No this is not the case, and it only happened once today, I have never seen this happen, there were about 12 entries which popped up and they didn't even start with the same letter I typed in.

Example : I click on sign in box, type letter X in and a whole bunch of email screen names pop up which didn't even start with X???

I've seen Facebook be indiscriminate towards what first letter you type in, in terms of the Auto Complete. In fact I'm able to just click on the entry field and a list of previous addresses entered comes up without a letter typed. In general I don't think the "typing X = other alphabetically illogical email addresses" issue is anything to worry about. But how they got there, well that's still a mystery... *thinks*

I am thinking the only way that this could possibly happen, is that someone
has a list of logins and passwords of people related to you that they may have aquired somehow..

Since you are seeing these on your computer it means 100% that someone other than you is able to login to your machine and then they try logging in to various accounts of people you know, on the internet , but using your computer to do it... maybe to hide some crime that would only link back to your machine..

this would totally ruin my day if it happened to me..

I would be calling the police for something like this...

If this is from an infection or from some crafty "haxor" - the first thing that comes to mind is a what's called a Rootkit.

By definition...

A rootkit is a collection of tools (programs) that enable administrator-level access to a computer or computer network. Typically, a cracker installs a rootkit on a computer after first obtaining user-level access, either by exploiting a known vulnerability or cracking a password. Once the rootkit is installed, it allows the attacker to mask intrusion and gain root or privileged access to the computer and, possibly, other machines on the network.

There are numerous tools for removing Rootkits but they can be very tricky to get rid of even with the aid of third-party software.

Originally posted by Seleras
Hmm... interesting. Looking into the wild green yonder on this one, but is your computer a fresh install? No.
Was your O/S installation ever transferred from another hard drive to your current machine - or was there any form of migration in any way?No

Thanks!

Originally posted by alienreality
I am thinking the only way that this could possibly happen, is that someone
has a list of logins and passwords of people related to you that they may have aquired somehow..

Since you are seeing these on your computer it means 100% that someone other than you is able to login to your machine and then they try logging in to various accounts of people you know, on the internet , but using your computer to do it... maybe to hide some crime that would only link back to your machine..

this would totally ruin my day if it happened to me..

I would be calling the police for something like this...

You know, this did cross my mind, I'm starting to get a little scared the more I think about it.
I'm not going to call the police, because I'm not exactly sure what I could tell them.

Originally posted by alienreality
maybe to hide some crime that would only link back to your machine..

A crime, I don't do anything criminal, or the people who I know wouldn't do any types of crimes.

This is starting to get to me.

Originally posted by Seleras
If this is from an infection or from some crafty "haxor" - the first thing that comes to mind is a what's called a Rootkit.

By definition...

A rootkit is a collection of tools (programs) that enable administrator-level access to a computer or computer network. Typically, a cracker installs a rootkit on a computer after first obtaining user-level access, either by exploiting a known vulnerability or cracking a password. Once the rootkit is installed, it allows the attacker to mask intrusion and gain root or privileged access to the computer and, possibly, other machines on the network.

There are numerous tools for removing Rootkits but they can be very tricky to get rid of even with the aid of third-party software.

Thats for the tip I will have to look into this is there any other ways I could find out if this is happening to my computer? Can this be done by remote-control, like when I'm sleeping at night?

[edit on 12-8-2010 by ShadowRamesses]

I wouldn't jump to any harsh conclusions just yet. Given the strangeness I've seen on computers (tech nerd in the house) - I wouldn't put it outside of the realm of possibility that for some reason, your machine has captured you typing in the email addresses of these people at some point in time, perhaps to simply send them an email, and then these addresses found their way into your Auto Complete list. How so? I'm not sure. But without further evidence of devious activity on your system I would take a deep breath and run some Rootkit scanners, virus scanners, etc. just for good measure and... maybe check your credit card and bank account statements for any inconsistencies. *thumbs up*

This must be from an inside source - did you ever have guests and perhaps someone used your PC and you didn't see them? The reason I ask is that I had family visiting once, I took a shower and when I went into my bedroom where my laptop was located my granddaughter was on it. Just trying to cover all bases - this would concern me too.

reply to post by ShadowRamesses


Certainly - remote access is a possibility. A rootkit essentially allows this. But, to what end is the real question. Anyone in your life or past that would want to gain access to your personal information? Not necessarily financial info, but even just wanting to know who you're talking to and so on.

Don't freak out, its probably something small and no big deal. Just clear all browser history and cache and monitor if they come back. Your auto complete setting is on, this will clear it all out if that was why it was showing up.

Combine the above with some virus scans like avg,spybot and you should be all set.

Originally posted by Seleras
I wouldn't jump to any harsh conclusions just yet. Given the strangeness I've seen on computers (tech nerd in the house) - I wouldn't put it outside of the realm of possibility that for some reason, your machine has captured you typing in the email addresses of these people at some point in time, perhaps to simply send them an email, and then these addresses found their way into your Auto Complete list. How so?

Nope never happened on this computer, we are talking names and Emails addresses from over 5 years ago on a different computer some from AOL and ones that seem new which I will have to ask about.


I'm not sure. But without further evidence of devious activity on your system I would take a deep breath and run some Rootkit scanners, virus scanners, etc. just for good measure and... maybe check your credit card and bank account statements for any inconsistencies. *thumbs up*

Thanks for the tip I will look into Rootkit.