Prey - ArchWiki

# Prey

Prey is a set of scripts that helps you track your computer when it is stolen.

This guide shows you how to install Prey.

## Installation

Install prey-node-clientAUR from the AUR.

## Configuration

Note: It is no longer possible to add new devices using the control panel on Prey's website. Use the Node.js client or the GUI.

First you must to have a Prey's account, if you don't have it, you can create it on the website. To add your device, run `prey_project config account setup` and type your email account and password. Or use the the GUI to set your account.

Run `prey_project config activate` as prey user to ensure that the configuration is correct. One way to accomplish this is with `sudo -u prey prey_project config activate`.

The installer enable automatically the systemd service prey-agent to start Prey at boot. You can check if it's loaded and running with `systemctl status prey-agent`

### Plugins

To enable/disable plugins, you must run `prey_project config plugins` and read the usage to enable/disable and list the available plugins.

### GUI config

You can use a GUI to configure prey using the `prey_project config gui` command:

    # prey_project config gui

### Standalone Mode

By enabling url-trigger and report-to-inbox plugins you can set a standalone prey client, triggering emailed reports whenever a URL returns a specific status code.

### Troubleshooting

To troubleshoot, run

    $ prey_project config check

Ensure you have enabled systemd service prey-agent.service to start Prey at boot.

If you're not receiving webcam images in you reports, install xawtv from the official repositories.

#### Beeping

If scrot is installed, prey will use it to take a screenshot if the `session` module is enabled. Unfortunately, scrot emits an annoying beep everytime it is run. To disable beeping, append `xset -b` to the beginning of `/usr/share/prey/modules/session/core/run`.

### Bugs

There seems to be a bug in version 0.5.3 which gives an error if the SMTP password is set when using "email" post_method, which returns an error, but works fine when executed normally without the --check option.

Categories:

- Networking
- Security