Solved! Chromebook 3 Samsung - Was this "new" computer tampered with? Spyware, Monitoringware

Dec 28, 2018
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Chromebook 3 Samsung.

My child received a "new" Chromebook 3 for Christmas this year. It was suppose to be bought on Black Friday. Basically, I'd like to know if anyone thinks this computer was tampered with. The box looked open prior to her opening it. It was a gift from a family member who, in the past, has shown questionable intentions due to a custody arrangement. I'm worried about monitoring, hacking, or spyware.

Something didn't seem right, due to the open box and the way it starts up so I researched it. This is what I found, please let me know if this is the correct way for it to work:

When I looked it up online, it appears that every Chromebook 3 Samsung starts up by saying: "Welcome" and asking for language, keyboard, and network. All on one screen.

However, upon starting this one up it says "Welcome" and already has the language and keyboard selected. It says to click next. When I click Next and it asks for network. It says "To restore your data, please select a network". Why would it say that? I have never once had a new computer ask me to "restore" my data. Upon researching starting up Chromebooks, I have not found one single resource that validates the way this computer is starting.

When I called Samsung, they couldn't tell me if it was used. Just that the computer was bought September 2018. Which, is very odd, since the family member claimed it was bought black Friday from a store.

I did not connect it to our network, as unfortunately I would not put it past this person to have some horrible virus on it or monitoring software. Anyone know if this is normal? The way it booted up? Or am I right to be concerned?

Any help would be appreciated.
 
Solution
Personally, I think a factory reset is in order. That way you know what is installed and what isn't. The date issue is likely a red herring. The date it was sold to the store could have been earlier than the date a consumer purchased it.

https://www.groovypost.com/howto/reset-samsung-chromebook-factory-settings/

COLGeek

Cybernaut
Moderator
Personally, I think a factory reset is in order. That way you know what is installed and what isn't. The date issue is likely a red herring. The date it was sold to the store could have been earlier than the date a consumer purchased it.

https://www.groovypost.com/howto/reset-samsung-chromebook-factory-settings/
 
Solution