Desktop monitoring software? Stealthy?

[LRW]

The small company I work for wants me to come up with a way to monitor
the activity on the work PC's. Something to allow them to monitor the
employee's activity.

Any recommendations on any desktop monitoring software that can log or
real-time monitor activity? Preferably without the employee knowing
it's being done? And can't be detected by anti-virus or anti-adware
(like AVG or Spybot?)

I found this:
http://www.globalpatrol.net/
which sounds exactly like what they need...but has anyone had any
experience with it?

Thanks!
Liam

 

[Mike Easter]

LRW wrote:
Subject: Desktop monitoring software? Stealthy?

Monitoring, in conjunction with a clear and fair and precise and
unambiguous and workable written and discussed office or company policy
is one thing.

Stealthy monitoring is quite another, potentially engendering ill will,
loss of key employees, and lawsuits. IANAL.

 

[T. Sean Weintz]

The small company I work for wants me to come up with a way to monitor
the activity on the work PC's. Something to allow them to monitor the
employee's activity.

Any recommendations on any desktop monitoring software that can log or
real-time monitor activity? Preferably without the employee knowing
it's being done? And can't be detected by anti-virus or anti-adware
(like AVG or Spybot?)

I found this:
http://www.globalpatrol.net/
which sounds exactly like what they need...but has anyone had any
experience with it?

Thanks!
Liam

Unless the boss wants to get sued, there better be a written policy that
all employees are ware of stating that their computer use may be monitored.

 

[LRW]

Unless the boss wants to get sued, there better be a written policy that
all employees are ware of stating that their computer use may be monitored.

OK, still need suggestions regarding software. I'm the I.T. guy,
that's my jurisdiction. Policy is the manager's.
However, out of curiosity, where can I find...I don't know, articles
or examples or...something from somewhere a little more "impressive"
than some guys on a newsgroup warning about making sure people are
aware?
If I had something a little more convincing I could share with my
manager when I bring him my software findings....

 

[Leythos]

If I had something a little more convincing I could share with my
manager when I bring him my software findings....

If you are in the US, then just write a Acceptable Use Policy document
that states the basics of what is acceptable use on the network and that
all information passing over the network is the property of the company
and that the company reserves the right, without notification, to
inspect/monitor any and all network traffic and computing devices - even
those that are not company property, but that are within the facility.

Get each person to sign a copy of it or loose their network access,
which, if not permitted to access the network, could mean they are out
of a job.

 

[Mike Easter]

However, out of curiosity, where can I find...I don't know, articles
or examples or...something from somewhere a little more "impressive"
than some guys on a newsgroup warning about making sure people are
aware?

If I had something a little more convincing I could share with my
manager when I bring him my software findings....

If we [tinw] 'non-managers' know so much about the dangers and risks of
such company or office behaviors, you would think the brass who is
getting paid and who is holding the management background can be 'smart
enough' to find [actually already know] their own information about the
problem.

I would think the business about the policy issue would be far far more
important than finding the ware to do the very behavior which shouldn't
even be done in the manner proposed in the first place.

And your idea of carrying out orders and it not being your job to
question the policy and to keep it a secret isn't even a tricky business
ethics 101 question.

 

[Mike Easter]

that states the basics of what is acceptable use on the network and
that all information passing over the network is the property of the
company and that the company reserves the right, without
notification, to inspect/monitor any and all network traffic and
computing devices - even those that are not company property, but
that are within the facility.

That description would also cover the personal laptops brought in [which
is its own monstrous security problem] as well as the non-networked
activity on the individual company boxes, including games or other
pastimes.

Part of the problem is that often a wide variety of 'ill-defined'
network activity might be important or useful to the functions of the
employee.

I think the employees need to help management figure out how to write
the policy rather than handed something to be signed by fiat.
Management probably doesn't even have a comprehensive idea [perhaps not
a clue] about the various activities [appropriate and inappropriate] of
their employees, which is why they are trying to sneak around.

 

[Leythos]

that states the basics of what is acceptable use on the network and
that all information passing over the network is the property of the
company and that the company reserves the right, without
notification, to inspect/monitor any and all network traffic and
computing devices - even those that are not company property, but
that are within the facility.

[snip]
I think the employees need to help management figure out how to write
the policy rather than handed something to be signed by fiat.
Management probably doesn't even have a comprehensive idea [perhaps not
a clue] about the various activities [appropriate and inappropriate]

I agree with this idea, in practice, they employees should submit a
request for the types of services they need to make sure that the policy
is in-line with their needs, and the policy should also indicate what
"needs" are no in-line with the company goals.

of their employees, which is why they are trying to sneak around.

The only reason people "Sneak" is because they ALREADY know they are
doing something that is not permitted or is unethical.