I’m having some strange events with my Linux PC and I fear that maybe it somehow became the target of some kind of malicious attack. I have Linux mint cinnamon.
Even though I only have a couple of document files on this computer that take up almost no space I started getting pop-ups that said something like file system root is full, with the prompts to empty the trash. On multiple occasions when it came up I just clicked empty the trash. It seemed however to keep coming up. Then today I was looking at network settings to figure out how to make a VPN I have yet to get work and I think I might have fumbled with some setting, though it was a setting for a network connection that I had previously been connected to but wasn’t connected to at that time. A little while after this the computer began acting strangely and I tried to reset it.
Now, when it boots up and goes to the login screen, when I login it begins to start up and then locks immediately, prompting the need to enter the password again. I tried to shut it down and see if I could enter safe mode but I was prompted to type the boot password, which I don’t even remember if I installed. When I press delete during the boot sequence I get a whole screen full of strange lines, some of which are below:
Stopped target user group name look ups
stop target remote file systems
stopping network manager
stopping raise network interface is
stopping network name resolution
stopping WP a supplement
stopped network name resolution
stop to create final run time DL are for shut down pivot route
stopped raise network interfaces
stopped WPA supplement
stop network manager
stopped network (can’t read)
stopped the bus system
stopped short Plymouth reboot screen
stops show thermal service
stopped basic system
stopped port password request to Plymouth directory watch
stopped event checked
stopped unknown,
Further down:
stopped forward password request to wall direct rewatch
stop target local encrypted volumes, stopping load/save screen back light brightness back light until back light stopped applied kernel variables
stopped low kernel modules
stopping network time synchronization
Another screen it said:
stop target user group name uploads stop target remove file systems
stopping target Network
The events of the day combined with all these lines that show on the boot up screen cause me to be afraid that perhaps the thing has been hacked and is being remotely used. I’ve just shut it off.
Even though I only have a couple of document files on this computer that take up almost no space I started getting pop-ups that said something like file system root is full, with the prompts to empty the trash. On multiple occasions when it came up I just clicked empty the trash. It seemed however to keep coming up. Then today I was looking at network settings to figure out how to make a VPN I have yet to get work and I think I might have fumbled with some setting, though it was a setting for a network connection that I had previously been connected to but wasn’t connected to at that time. A little while after this the computer began acting strangely and I tried to reset it.
Now, when it boots up and goes to the login screen, when I login it begins to start up and then locks immediately, prompting the need to enter the password again. I tried to shut it down and see if I could enter safe mode but I was prompted to type the boot password, which I don’t even remember if I installed. When I press delete during the boot sequence I get a whole screen full of strange lines, some of which are below:
Stopped target user group name look ups
stop target remote file systems
stopping network manager
stopping raise network interface is
stopping network name resolution
stopping WP a supplement
stopped network name resolution
stop to create final run time DL are for shut down pivot route
stopped raise network interfaces
stopped WPA supplement
stop network manager
stopped network (can’t read)
stopped the bus system
stopped short Plymouth reboot screen
stops show thermal service
stopped basic system
stopped port password request to Plymouth directory watch
stopped event checked
stopped unknown,
Further down:
stopped forward password request to wall direct rewatch
stop target local encrypted volumes, stopping load/save screen back light brightness back light until back light stopped applied kernel variables
stopped low kernel modules
stopping network time synchronization
Another screen it said:
stop target user group name uploads stop target remove file systems
stopping target Network
The events of the day combined with all these lines that show on the boot up screen cause me to be afraid that perhaps the thing has been hacked and is being remotely used. I’ve just shut it off.