Re: [OT] PC monitoring software

["mark_harrison_uk2" <mph@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

--- In ukha_d@xxxxxxx, Ho Yin Ng <yahoogroups@h...> wrote:
> This is a bit of a no no question.
>
> But I don't like Big Brother.
>
> I want to check whether my computer has had some monitoring software
> installed on it.
>
> As the IT man in the office has updated all computers etc whilst I
was out
> of the office.
>
> I want to know if I am being watched!

Ho Yin, if you are running Windows, then you can "CTRL-ALT-DEL",
select Task Manager, and select the "processes" tab - that will
show
everything that is running.

Alternative if you are running Linux, then run "ps -aux" which
will
again show everything.

You should, however, be aware of three things:

- Most monitoring of "what employees do" doesn't rely on
installing
software on "their" PCs any more. Instead, you install software
that
runs on firewalls / routers / proxies and work out what everyone's
doing that way. (This is on the basis that 99% of monitoring is of
internet access and email, not of accesses to the local file server.)

- Your employer MAY NOT monitor your PC unless they have told you that
they are going to. This was a change in European law a couple of years
ago. You should read your terms and conditions of employment
carefully, and your "acceptable computer usage policy". Of
course, if
your employer doesn't have the latter document, chances are they
aren't necessarily aware of their legal obligations anyway :-)

- Thinking varies on whether it's "Your PC". Was it paid for by
you?
The general principle is that what's done with the EQUIPMENT is a
matter that the equipment owner has every right to know, but what's
done by you as an individual may be subject to privacy legislation.
I'm not claiming the law is even vaguely consistent on this - it's
another example of a law where organisations have certain obligations
without any of the rights that would be needed to meet them :-)

M.