Employers monitoring employees computers

[Tri]

Ok all you computer people out there, I was just wondering, are there ways to tell if your employer is monitoring your computer activity, looking at what sites you go on, how long your on there etc. Now I know you can go on a computer and look at history and temp internet files and crap like that, but what I'm referring to is employers being able to look at what their employees are doing from their computers, not actually going on their employees computer.

 

[Mikeinsmd]

They can and do all the time.

 

[Tri]

They can and do all the time.

So how do I tell if their doing it?

 

[vraiblonde]

Ok all you computer people out there, I was just wondering, are there ways to tell if your employer is monitoring your computer activity, looking at what sites you go on, how long your on there etc.

Not really. They're probably monitoring via the server or log files, and the only way you would know they're doing it is when you get the pink slip.

 

[SAHRAB]

Ok all you computer people out there, I was just wondering, are there ways to tell if your employer is monitoring your computer activity, looking at what sites you go on, how long your on there etc. Now I know you can go on a computer and look at history and temp internet files and crap like that, but what I'm referring to is employers being able to look at what their employees are doing from their computers, not actually going on their employees computer.

Alot of the "Monitoring", if its done, isnt even done with your computer. your 'puter uses other devices to get on the internet (firewall, proxies, routers, switches, content filters, access filters). those are typically whats monitored and send the flags that you went to a No-No Site

 

[bresamil]

They can see our computers anytime they want, but we were set up that way specifically so they could fix problems remotely. Do they always watch what we do? It seems cyclical. As long as you stay off the "naughty" sites, don't attempt to download, and all your real work is getting done, they don't seem to bother with it.

Also, they told us upfront that its their systems and they have that right. It's in our employee handbooks which we must read and sign before we start working here.

 

[rack'm]

They can monitor your Internet activity at the router level as well as the proxy server, plus they can put sniffers on the back bone to watch what's going on.

 

[Mikeinsmd]

So how do I tell if their doing it?

You can't but assume they are. See Bre's post #6.

 

[Tri]

Thanks for all your answers, I guess I'm going to have to limit my somd.com time, before they see me spending time on here when I should be working.

 

[SAHRAB]

They can monitor your Internet activity at the router level as well as the proxy server, plus they can put sniffers on the back bone to watch what's going on.

 

[Mikeinsmd]

Thanks for all your answers, I guess I'm going to have to limit my somd.com time, before they see me spending time on here when I should be working.

Well you are entitled to lunch right? I'm not monitored BC I am on a jobsite but I'm really only on here during lunch these days. Too busy now.

 

[Tri]

Well you are entitled to lunch right? I'm not monitored BC I am on a jobsite but I'm really only on here during lunch these days. Too busy now.

Yeah I do get an hour lunch, but I also spend time on here in the morning, and late in the afternoon when I'm not a lunch.

 

[SAHRAB]

Well you are entitled to lunch right? I'm not monitored BC I am on a jobsite but I'm really only on here during lunch these days. Too busy now.

Well technically it doesnt matter when you go on an Employers computer, it is their Computer so if your on it, they are allowed to Do any kind of monitoring they want. its been ruled that you dont have a right to privacy on a computer that isnt owned by you.

 

[wmburdette]

We have a software package that monitors what goes through the firewall which means I can and do see who my top bandwidth users are, what sites they visit, how much time they spend at those sites, and bytes of download. I only have a limited amount of bandwidth available and that is a company resource that must be protected and used only for business purposes as much as possible. ...and no, there is no way for the user to see that I am reviewing this data except when I stop by for a friendly chat about network activity.

 

[SAHRAB]

We have a software package that monitors what goes through the firewall which means I can and do see who my top bandwidth users are, what sites they visit, how much time they spend at those sites, and bytes of download. I only have a limited amount of bandwidth available and that is a company resource that must be protected and used only for business purposes as much as possible. ...and no, there is no way for the user to see that I am reviewing this data except when I stop by for a friendly chat about network activity.

Those are always fun.

i worked at a (really big, politically connected) Law Firm a few years ago, and had to Inform one of the Partners that we have been monitoring the internet traffic and notice some users were visiting sites that they shouldnt be. had to be .... political about how i brought it up, since he was one of the main abusers lol