 Number 200 - January 2000 |
| Tracking Web and E-mail Use | ||
| from AskGina Column, Access Magazine, Nov 28, 99 http://www.accessmagazine.com1 | ||
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Q. I know I should be careful with
Web surfing and e-mail on my work computer. But how are they able to
track what I do? I have a password, after all.
Pat Nardozzi, Arlington, TX A. Congratulations. You're one of the few people who know that your boss can track your Web and e-mail use. It's the company's legal right. E-mail messages aren't stored on your computer at all, but on a network system that your co-workers share with you. Your company probably "backs up," or makes copies of, those files every day. So, even if you delete your e-mail, there's an old copy somewhere. As for the password, the system administrator can getaround that in a keystroke. |
The boss can also install
software on your computer that records every single key you type, every
application you use and the period of time you use it. Or she can look
at the contents of your Web browser's History file, which records the
names of sites you've visited. And if you access the Web through your
company's network, the network can automate the snooping.
The moral: If you wouldn't say it or surf it in front of a crowd in the conference room, don't do it at your desk.
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Number 200 - January 2000
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