Workplace spy software

[BJM]

Can anyone tell me how to look for spy software that an employer might use to monitor employee computer usage? I am told that our sister division monitors such things while in our building, they don't. I want to know. I am about to receive a new computer from the sister division, I expect it to be loaded with a spy program. How can I find it.

Brian

 

[Pressure-Less]

BJM

There are alot of spyware programs out there. Here is a link to the free spyware programs on this site. It doesn't include the shareware or full purchase programs available. You can read the description of the programs and see the details they log on any user. I don't know how to find a resident spyware program on a computer. Most of them are hidden from the user and monitored remotely. I need to do some research on this subject myself.

http://www.snapfiles.com/freeware/security/fwaccessmonitoring.html

Drew

 

[lp2]

I'm not sure if that would find it, because it's not really "spyware", it's (usually illegally) installed for that purpose and has the permission of the person who installed it.

Only real way is to do a ctrl-alt-del, make sure it shows all the tasks, and google every single running process to see what it is. Of course if it's renamed it won't show up either... hrm.

Or just format the computer when you get it...

 

[BJM]

I guess I could install my own Firewall software and watch it flag everything that tried to use the network.

 

[TurboJunky]

Are you buying this PC for your own personal use or is it a company PC for company purposes?

If you bought it for your own use from a company that may have installed wares to monitor employees, you'll need to blow out the HDD to ensure it's clean. That software installs with minimal overt intrusion so as not to be detected by the lay user, especially if it has WINNT, XP or 2000.

If however it's a company PC for business use and you're trying to delete, modify or change company software you're setting yourself to be fired. Best thing to do is leave it be and don't do anything prohibited by company policy.

 

[BJM]

Its a company use computer. I don't intend to alter anything, I just want to know if it has such software on it. Apparently the former head of HR was able to observe your screen from his own computer and check up on you. The only thing I do that I shouldn't is use this site or check my bank balance and stuff like that. The HR people don't need to see my bank balance.

I am the administrator for a CAD system so I will have full administrator passwords for the machine. Can I check what is installed then or is it hidden even still?

 

[TurboJunky]

If you have full administrator rights to the logon then you should be able to see what's installed. I'm not personally familiar with the software you're referring to but I know it exists and they can see your screen exactly as you see it, including all text typed and mouse moves. Basically a remote PC atmosphere.

 

[jastrckl]

microsoft has some built in remote administration/monitoring software in 2k server I think it is. I believe it's called SMS? You'd just have the client installed on your computer.