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system monitoring

MrBaker22

MrBaker22

Well-Known Member
hi guys i have just started a new job, and i am just wondering if my employer is monitoring my internet usage/computer activities. i am on a network. its only a small company.

just wondered if anyone had any ideas.
 
Well...depending on what you mean by small, my bet is no. But there are a few ways they can monitor your activity:

  • Software on the computer
    [*]This can keep track of everything. It will know which apps you launch, whch webpages you visit, what you type and what your mouse is doing. It usually comes complete with the possibility of screenshots evert X minutes or a live screecast to some local IP address that the employer can go to and watch you​
  • Sofware on the firewall/router
    [*]This will only know which webpages you request (not even visit). It just knows which IP addresses (and thus which URLs) you wanted to see, even if it was a misstpye or whatever. This is standard on most routers, so the real question is if your employer is checking the logs. My bet is no. If they cared they would have gone with the option above.​

-Nkk

EDIT: Apparently we cannot make subpoints in a list with the forum, so sorry for the poor formatting.
 
And lets hope your new boss isn't an Android fan on the forums. If it's a small shop, its probably pretty easy to figure out who the new guy is since you identified where you work in the OP.:D
 
MrBaker22 said:
hi guys i have just started a new job, and i am just wondering if my employer is monitoring my internet usage/computer activities. i am on a network. its only a small company.

just wondered if anyone had any ideas.
Click to expand...

If they specifically outlined internet usage policies in either an employee handbook or contract, then it's best to abide by them even if they aren't monitoring all activity. Most times even a single infraction is grounds for termination. However, as other's have said, if they give you open access to the net, then it's likely that they don't monitor all activity

nkk said:
Well...depending on what you mean by small, my bet is no. But there are a few ways they can monitor your activity:

  • Software on the computer
    • This can keep track of everything. It will know which apps you launch, whch webpages you visit, what you type and what your mouse is doing. It usually comes complete with the possibility of screenshots evert X minutes or a live screecast to some local IP address that the employer can go to and watch you
  • Sofware on the firewall/router
    • This will only know which webpages you request (not even visit). It just knows which IP addresses (and thus which URLs) you wanted to see, even if it was a misstpye or whatever. This is standard on most routers, so the real question is if your employer is checking the logs. My bet is no. If they cared they would have gone with the option above.

-Nkk

EDIT: Apparently we cannot make subpoints in a list with the forum, so sorry for the poor formatting.
Click to expand...

Yes, you can, you just have to nest the <list> tags. :D
 
the only sites that are blocked are pron sites, but i can get on anything else i like... ive checked the system and cant see anything running.... ive seen colleagues on the internet... and no i havent seen any usage policy and we dont have a user manual or handbook.. so i think im safe, im using chrome incognito browsing if that makes any difference..
 
We run a proxy server and know what our employees are doing.


Assume you are being monitored.

We have logs to see who is abusing bandwidth and how much time they spend online.
 
MrBaker22 said:
the only sites that are blocked are pron sites, but i can get on anything else i like... ive checked the system and cant see anything running.... ive seen colleagues on the internet... and no i havent seen any usage policy and we dont have a user manual or handbook.. so i think im safe, im using chrome incognito browsing if that makes any difference..
Click to expand...

I'm a sysadmin. There are tools you can run right off the firewall that will tell me what sites have been visited and what IP addresses went there. Those IP addresses can easily be matched up to computers on the network.
 
pupkact said:
To the OP, I hope that wasn't your boss:D
Click to expand...

We don't are.what sites people are looking at but if projects miss deadlines or you are asking overtime while spending 4 hours on Facebook, I'm going to use the logs as a tool to reprimand and/or.fire you.

We even have wifi monitored and caught employees abusing public wifi to download torrents.
 
mrspeedmaster said:
We don't are.what sites people are looking at but if projects miss deadlines or you are asking overtime while spending 4 hours on Facebook, I'm going to use the logs as a tool to reprimand and/or.fire you.

We even have wifi monitored and caught employees abusing public wifi to download torrents.
Click to expand...

A lot of our clients don't care, but we have employees running around out there with 20-30 gb iTunes libraries on their work computers. I can guarantee you that 99% of it was downloaded over the work pipes. Why anyone would do this is beyond me. They get fired and they lose their whole music library.
 
This is why I dont use the company wifi and steal the net from the open free services in the businesses downstairs (i.e the nightclubs) :) Plus the fact I use my lap top. No ones tracing me. :)



P.s there all Iphone users whose internet doesn't exist outside facebook. ;)
 
A.Nonymous said:
A lot of our clients don't care, but we have employees running around out there with 20-30 gb iTunes libraries on their work computers. I can guarantee you that 99% of it was downloaded over the work pipes. Why anyone would do this is beyond me. They get fired and they lose their whole music library.
Click to expand...

If they have it sync'd to a device, it's backed up, so there is no loss.

Plus, with services like iTunes, once you've bought it it's yours. If you move to a new device, you just re-download it.

Rudedawg said:
This is why I dont use the company wifi and steal the net from the open free services in the businesses downstairs (i.e the nightclubs) :) Plus the fact I use my lap top. No ones tracing me. :)



P.s there all Iphone users whose internet doesn't exist outside facebook. ;)
Click to expand...

Not exactly ethical....even if they're all iPhone users, and using it for FB all the time, they're also the ones paying for it.

To each his/her own, I suppose. I take it if it is offered to me, but I don't abuse it. I worked with the University's IT department for almost 2 years, and I learned a lot of passwords, but the Network Admin knows what I know, and knows what I connect to (with MAC addresses) and he has yet to take away my access even though I now no longer work for him. He knows I use it primarily for my phone, since I live in a 3G only area, and do not abuse the privilege by playing games, checking my FB constantly, etc....
 
A.Nonymous said:
A lot of our clients don't care, but we have employees running around out there with 20-30 gb iTunes libraries on their work computers. I can guarantee you that 99% of it was downloaded over the work pipes. Why anyone would do this is beyond me. They get fired and they lose their whole music library.
Click to expand...

Perhaps more to the point...Why are employees installing their own unauthorised software onto work computers? That sounds like a security risk to me. Surely work/company property computers should be locked-down, limited user accounts only. Employees can use the productivity applications that the need to use in the course of their work, however no unauthorised software can be installed.
 
mikedt said:
Perhaps more to the point...Why are employees installing their own unauthorised software onto work computers? That sounds like a security risk to me. Surely work/company property computers should be locked-down, limited user accounts only. Employees can use the productivity applications that the need to use in the course of their work, however no unauthorised software can be installed.
Click to expand...

Most work places I know allow iTunes, Windows Media Player, VLC. Especially in my line of work where we view lots of media files.

End users download music easily because there are websites that allow you to download in bulk. E.G. The russian mp3 stores. Some torrent apps run without admin privileges. If you are smart, you can use the command line like curl and download in bulk. People also copy music via usb sticks,etc...

The best way is to lock it all down.
 
johnlgalt said:
If they have it sync'd to a device, it's backed up, so there is no loss.
Plus, with services like iTunes, once you've bought it it's yours. If you move to
a new device, you just re-download it.
Click to expand...

You don't even have to buy from iTunes if you used their match services.

In fact, I know a lots of people w/ pirated music who signed up for iTunes match because Apple gives you amnesty if the music is matched. They pretty much upgrade their crappy 10 year old 96k/128k mp3 bootlegs into entirely new hi-res 256K AAC 500GB music collection for $25.

iTunes match has been a big bandwidth hog for us lately because everyone is up-rezzing their entire music collection to their iPads, laptops, phones,etc..
 
mrspeedmaster said:
Most work places I know allow iTunes, Windows Media Player, VLC. Especially in my line of work where we view lots of media files.

End users download music easily because there are websites that allow you to download in bulk. E.G. The russian mp3 stores. Some torrent apps run without admin privileges. If you are smart, you can use the command line like curl and download in bulk. People also copy music via usb sticks,etc...
Click to expand...

I know about things like PortableApps. One can have all sorts of applications on a USB stick, can be run without installing or admin privileges.
 
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