iSpy: How to Track Computer Activity

Concerned About Unauthorized Computer Use?

It's a common worry: suspecting someone is using your computer without your knowledge, but lacking concrete evidence about who it is or their activities. This scenario is surprisingly frequent, occurring in shared environments like dorms, homes, and workplaces.

The usage might be harmless, or it could involve someone attempting to access your private files and sensitive information. Without monitoring, the true nature of the activity remains unknown.

Existing PC Monitoring Solutions

Numerous PC usage monitoring and logging tools are available, and we at MUO have previously explored many of them. We’ve even hosted a giveaway for Elite Keylogger in the past.

I've also authored several articles detailing methods for tracking computer use by employees or family members. These remain viable options, but a recent discovery has led me to believe there's a superior solution.

Introducing iSpy

Following Matt’s excellent review of the free webcam surveillance software, iSpy, I’ve identified it as a more comprehensive solution than any previously discussed.

iSpy offers a robust approach to monitoring, potentially addressing concerns about unauthorized access and activity on your computer systems.

It provides a level of insight that surpasses traditional monitoring methods.

Leveraging iSpy for Comprehensive Computer Monitoring

Why is iSpy considered a leading solution for surveillance? Traditional webcam surveillance systems generally focus on detecting movement within the camera's field of view. Upon detecting activity, these systems initiate a pre-defined action, such as video recording, email notification, or application launch.

The iSpy Camera Security Software encompasses all these functionalities, as previously highlighted. However, it distinguishes itself with a unique capability: the ability to establish a remote view of a computer desktop, akin to remotely accessing a webcam feed, and subsequently record all on-screen activity.

To implement this feature, after installing iSpy, simply click the "Add" button and select the "VLC Camera Source" option.

A selection of camera sources will be presented. The key option is the "Desktop" tab within this screen. Here, you can specify the display to be monitored, the desired frame rate, and the remote view size for the desktop.

For remote PCs targeted for monitoring, installing the iSpy Server software is necessary, rather than the complete iSpy application.

In this example, the desktop camera is configured to capture all activity on a secondary monitor. The monitor is then displayed within the iSpy software's "webcam" view, complete with the current date and time displayed in the upper right corner.

While remote screen observation is possible, it can be time-consuming. For monitoring a PC during your absence, configuring iSpy on a separate machine to oversee your computer is recommended.

Adding the desktop webcam necessitates several steps to activate the automated "motion sensor" monitoring. The initial tab, the camera tab, allows you to define the recording frame rate. To conserve storage space, reduce the "when recording" framerate as needed. Audio capture can also be enabled by adding and pairing a microphone on this tab.

The Motion Detection tab controls the sensitivity of motion triggering recording. Furthermore, a "detection zone" can be defined by drawing a box around a specific screen area to focus monitoring efforts.

The "Alerts" tab governs the application's behavior upon detecting motion. Switch the mode to "movement" and specify the duration of movement required before recording commences.

This screen also provides a field, "Execute file", where you can designate a program to be launched upon motion detection.

On the "Recording" tab, you configure the recording parameters, including the duration of inactivity before recording ceases.

A particularly useful feature is the automatic FTP transfer of recorded files to a designated FTP account. This facilitates remote access to monitoring data from any location.

If motion-based monitoring isn't desired, the "scheduling" feature on the "Scheduling" tab allows recording during specific times of day. Simply define the days and times for recording, and iSpy will automatically capture all activity on the monitored PC.

Recordings are saved in the mp4 format. A 10-minute video demonstrating someone using the computer to search YouTube for "crazy stunts" was captured as an example.

iSpy surpasses conventional keylogging or screenshot applications commonly used for computer monitoring. It enables the recording of a complete screencast, capturing every movement and action performed on the PC.

Experiment with iSpy's screen recording functionality and observe the captured activity on your computers. Have you identified any unauthorized or inappropriate usage? Share your experiences and insights in the comments below.

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