Need a way to see employeed surfing habits

[Paul]

Hi, sorry if this in't the best the wrong group for this query. I've
been asked to find software that will see what websites our 25
employees are going to. Does anyone know any software that's good for
this purpose?

I do not want to have to install anything on the workstations
themselves unless absolutely neccessary. I don't need full on
keylogging or anything either - just simply websites viewed.

Also just to complicate things further, the workstations are XP,
Vista, and OSx too. Is there something that just scans port 80
perhaps that would do the job? I'm using a BT Business router that
can't log websites vistied. I don't want to install ISA either
really.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[Rob Moir]

Hi, sorry if this in't the best the wrong group for this query. I've
been asked to find software that will see what websites our 25
employees are going to. Does anyone know any software that's good for
this purpose?

I do not want to have to install anything on the workstations
themselves unless absolutely neccessary. I don't need full on
keylogging or anything either - just simply websites viewed.

Also just to complicate things further, the workstations are XP,
Vista, and OSx too. Is there something that just scans port 80
perhaps that would do the job? I'm using a BT Business router that
can't log websites vistied. I don't want to install ISA either
really.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

It really does sound like you need a proxy of some kind.
Squid is still free, I think.

 

[smlunatick]

Hi, sorry if this in't the best the wrong group for this query.  I've
been asked to find software that will see what websites our 25
employees are going to.  Does anyone know any software that's good for
this purpose?

I do not want to have to install anything on the workstations
themselves unless absolutely neccessary.  I don't need full on
keylogging or anything either - just simply websites viewed.

Also just to complicate things further, the workstations are XP,
Vista, and OSx too.  Is there something that just scans port 80
perhaps that would do the job?  I'm using a BT Business router that
can't log websites vistied.  I don't want to install ISA either
really.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.   Thanks

I do not know of any softeare but I do know of a hardware device that
will monitor all Internet activity. The freeGuard Capture line of
products, from Freedom9, will monitor all"

web urls
emails sent / received -- POP, IMAP, SMTP
instant messenger sessions.
telnet "login" sessions
FTP transfers

No software required.
Not a "proxy" -- can be set up as a "transparent" pass-thorough
monitor.

Not sure what is your "budget."

 

[Phillip Windell]

perhaps that would do the job? I'm using a BT Business router that

Not much of a "business router" then. Actually if it was really a
"commercial grade" product they wouldn't be calling it a "router" since that
is the "home user" abuse of the term. They are not "routers".

can't log websites vistied. I don't want to install ISA either
really.

ISA does not do that either,...not in the kind of "big brother" details you
want. The logging does contain all the information,...but the Reporting
Features just aren't designed in that way,...they are design for creating
Summaries (like Top 10 Users,...Top 10 Visited Sites, etc.)

To get detailed reporting with ISA requires buying third party add-ons
($,$$$.$$) to perform that. There are serveral out there, but they all have
their problems and deficiencies, and they all can make a mess out of your
ISA if you aren't carefull.

All commerical level Firewalls log everything,...but the ability to create a
report from the logs and the details of such a report will vary greatly
between products. But I cannot speak for any other than ISA Server.

--
Phillip Windell
www.wandtv.com

The views expressed, are my own and not those of my employer, or Microsoft,
or anyone else associated with me, including my cats.
-----------------------------------------------------
Technet Library
ISA2004
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc302436(TechNet.10).aspx
ISA2006
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb898433(TechNet.10).aspx

Understanding the ISA 2004 Access Rule Processing
http://www.isaserver.org/articles/ISA2004_AccessRules.html

Troubleshooting Client Authentication on Access Rules in ISA Server 2004
http://download.microsoft.com/download/9/1/8/918ed2d3-71d0-40ed-8e6d-fd6eeb6cfa07/ts_rules.doc

Microsoft Internet Security & Acceleration Server: Partners
http://www.microsoft.com/isaserver/partners/default.mspx

Microsoft ISA Server Partners: Partner Hardware Solutions
http://www.microsoft.com/forefront/edgesecurity/partners/hardwarepartners.mspx
-----------------------------------------------------

 

[Leroy]

IamBigBrother Internet Monitoring Software:
http://www.iambigbrother.com/

 

[Malke]

Hi, sorry if this in't the best the wrong group for this query. I've
been asked to find software that will see what websites our 25
employees are going to. Does anyone know any software that's good for
this purpose?

I do not want to have to install anything on the workstations
themselves unless absolutely neccessary. I don't need full on
keylogging or anything either - just simply websites viewed.

Also just to complicate things further, the workstations are XP,
Vista, and OSx too. Is there something that just scans port 80
perhaps that would do the job? I'm using a BT Business router that
can't log websites vistied. I don't want to install ISA either
really.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

eBlaster
http://www.spectorsoft.com/

Malke

 

[Mel K.]

You need to install a Web filter system/appliance. Also, note that there are
some issues with filtering https traffic (because https is encrypted). There
are several systems available, so just review some of them. Search for "web
filter."

If all you want to do is see which Web sites employees are visiting, you
could view your DNS server cache, but that doesn't tell you which user went
to which site, and trying to come up with a meaning report could be very
time consuming.

 

[the wharf rat]

You need to install a Web filter system/appliance. Also, note that there are

He could use Snort for this.

 

[Peter Foldes]

Paul

I have used the following before with good results

http://www.squid-cache.org/Download/

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Hi, sorry if this in't the best the wrong group for this query. I've
been asked to find software that will see what websites our 25
employees are going to. Does anyone know any software that's good for
this purpose?

I do not want to have to install anything on the workstations
themselves unless absolutely neccessary. I don't need full on
keylogging or anything either - just simply websites viewed.

Also just to complicate things further, the workstations are XP,
Vista, and OSx too. Is there something that just scans port 80
perhaps that would do the job? I'm using a BT Business router that
can't log websites vistied. I don't want to install ISA either
really.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Your proxy server should include this capability; it's a fairly
standard feature.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot

 

[slashsals]

We use SafeSquid as content filtering proxy at our office. To get
detailed per-user usage reports, we have installed the open source log
analyzer - Sarg. You can generate daily / weekly / monthly log reports
that displays the websites visited by each user (ID or IP), total time
& bytes consumed, time & bytes consumed on each site, files
downloaded, top users, top sites, etc. etc. There are lots of other
open source log analyzers, but I don't know if they work on Windows,
except Sarg, Calamaris & AWStats.

 

[Jon]

Start by showing all your employees exactly which websites *YOU* have been
visiting over the last month - warts n all. Accountable leadership I believe
it's called.

 

[Default]

Not much of a "business router" then. Actually if it was really a
"commercial grade" product they wouldn't be calling it a "router" since that
is the "home user" abuse of the term. They are not "routers".

Bollocks - http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/routers/ps368/index.html

 

[+Bob+]

Start by showing all your employees exactly which websites *YOU* have been
visiting over the last month - warts n all. Accountable leadership I believe
it's called.

I'd go a little further.

1. Start by telling management that they are using an archaic
management style generally known as "theory X". With that style of
management, managers believe that employees are generally lazy and
won't work hard unless strictly supervised under a narrow set of rules
designed to keep their noses to the grindstone. Suggest that they go
look up "Theory Y" and learn what most smart companies figured out
about 40 years ago regarding motivating employees and obtaining
maximum performance.

2. Go prepare your resume. You don't want to work for a bunch of dolts
that spend their time worrying about what web sites employees are
browsing instead of concentrating on serving the company's customers.

 

[measekite Da Monkey]

I'd go a little further.

1. Start by telling management that they are using an archaic
management style generally known as "theory X". With that style of
management, managers believe that employees are generally lazy and
won't work hard unless strictly supervised under a narrow set of rules
designed to keep their noses to the grindstone. Suggest that they go
look up "Theory Y" and learn what most smart companies figured out
about 40 years ago regarding motivating employees and obtaining
maximum performance.

2. Go prepare your resume. You don't want to work for a bunch of dolts
that spend their time worrying about what web sites employees are
browsing instead of concentrating on serving the company's customers.

+BOB+ - I'll bet you don't have that problem at Jack-In-The-Box, do you?
All you need to know is when to remove the fries from the fryer. LOL!

 

[Jon]

I'd go a little further.

1. Start by telling management that they are using an archaic
management style generally known as "theory X". With that style of
management, managers believe that employees are generally lazy and
won't work hard unless strictly supervised under a narrow set of rules
designed to keep their noses to the grindstone. Suggest that they go
look up "Theory Y" and learn what most smart companies figured out
about 40 years ago regarding motivating employees and obtaining
maximum performance.

2. Go prepare your resume. You don't want to work for a bunch of dolts
that spend their time worrying about what web sites employees are
browsing instead of concentrating on serving the company's customers.

Yep, it's tyrannical 'Henry Ford style' 'theory x' "you can have any website
you like as long we approve of it" management at its worst. Penalising any
bright sparks who decide to think outside of the box; who find solutions in
obscure portions of the www that management doesn't anticipate.

In times gone by such non-brainwashed people would be hailed as a heros /
heroines. Now, they're labelled as 'dangerous', and wheeled off to the
dismissal room as an 'enemies of the corporation'.

Judge employees by their *performance* and by who gets *results*, rather
than seeking to stifle their mental freedom. The more intelligent and
valuable employees will be thinking outside of the box anyway.

I'd certainly be preparing my resume, and looking longingly at the exit
door, if I were working there.

Poor employees.

 

[Mel K.]

Yeah, that would work too.

 

[the wharf rat]

Yep, it's tyrannical 'Henry Ford style' 'theory x' "you can have any website
you like as long we approve of it" management at its worst. Penalising any
bright sparks who decide to think outside of the box; who find solutions in
obscure portions of the www that management doesn't anticipate.

That's nonsense. First of all, you have no right as an employee
to use the employer network for any purpose not specifically allowed,
nor do you have an automatic right of privacy. If I lend you my car
on the condition that you only use premium gas am I being a tyrannical
manager? You're free to go borrow someone else's car you know.

Secondly, in today's legal climate if I accidentally glimpse
you accidentally viewing a website I consider offensive it can leave the
employer liable for the subsequent civil suit. Don't blame your
management. Blame the people who insist on legislating your right to profit
from being offended.

Lastly, depending on the nature of the work there may be real
security issues involved. Think of working for one of those three letter
government agencies.

The bottom line is that unless you're a star or a relative you work
for someone on their terms, and those terms are niether good nor evil but
simply their control of their own private property.

 

[Jon]

That's nonsense. First of all, you have no right as an employee
to use the employer network for any purpose not specifically allowed,
nor do you have an automatic right of privacy. If I lend you my car
on the condition that you only use premium gas am I being a tyrannical
manager? You're free to go borrow someone else's car you know.

'Tyranny', using your car analogy, would go beyond following basic
instructions like deciding which fuel is put into the vehicle. It would be
putting tracking devices that log every movement of that driver + car
(conditions under which many work today). Big difference.

People have been driving goods + people successfully from A to B since the
invention of the motor car without such Big Brother devices. And yes you do
have a right to basic human privacy, which isn't something given to you by
your employer, nor something for which you need to ask their permission.

Secondly, in today's legal climate if I accidentally glimpse
you accidentally viewing a website I consider offensive it can leave the
employer liable for the subsequent civil suit. Don't blame your
management. Blame the people who insist on legislating your right to
profit
from being offended.

Lastly, depending on the nature of the work there may be real
security issues involved. Think of working for one of those three letter
government agencies.

The bottom line is that unless you're a star or a relative you work
for someone on their terms, and those terms are niether good nor evil but
simply their control of their own private property.

A crime is a crime anywhere, whether it's committed in the workplace or not.

Whose property is used isn't the issue. If an employee murders a colleague
in the workplace using a knife from the employer's kitchen, it's that
employee who is held accountable, and not the employer.

The only 100% way to protect from workplace crimes would be to not employ
anyone in the first place. It comes down to trust and employing the right
people .

 

[the wharf rat]

'Tyranny', using your car analogy, would go beyond following basic
instructions like deciding which fuel is put into the vehicle. It would be
putting tracking devices that log every movement of that driver + car

How can that be tyrannical? It's my car! Tyrannical would be
putting those things in YOUR car.

A crime is a crime anywhere, whether it's committed in the workplace or not.

No, for instance, you can't breach your fiduciary responsibiliy
to your cat... Well, assuming that your cat isn't a stockholder...

Whose property is used isn't the issue. If an employee murders a colleague
in the workplace using a knife from the employer's kitchen, it's that
employee who is held accountable, and not the employer.

Actually that's less than completely true. The legal
principle involved is called "respondeat superior" and imposes
a certain amount of vicarious liability on an employer.