Monitoring activity on work PCs

[leonb]

Hi

I'm suspecting that an employee at our business (small business, 4 people connected to network+ADSL router) are using webmail (gmail/hotmail) to send intellectual property (business information) to outside people, who are using this to their financial benefit.

Is it possible to monitor these activities, and determine exactly what they are sending to the outside.

I know that it is probably possible to block webmail, but they will just find another way to get it out. So we need to catch them redhanded or at least be able to gather evidence of exactly what they are doing.

Any ideas?

Regards,

 

[SerenePhoenix]

Keylogger?

 

[ClockSpeed]

Block Internet access on the PC, but they can still use other means to copy the files...

 

[Mantis]

Keylogger?

Refog Keylogger.
I use the trial version on my work PC in case it goes bonkers (like when my foot pulls on a cable or something). The free trial version not only logs keystrokes, but also websites visited, takes screenshots (mine is set to do it every 5 mins), records what was typed in every different application, and runs hidden. There are added functions with the paid version.

 

[gregmcc]

You gotta be careful on how you collect evidence in case it goes to court. Do you have a proxy of any kind so you can see what sites they've been to? A keylogger can be used legally but it gets tricky. Has the employee signed some kind of internet usage policy to say they can and will be monitored?

 

[killkom]

I wouldn't worry to much about the legality of it a employees pc does not belong to him it belongs to the company the company can run any software that it feels it needs to on the pc and can monitor any activities within its own network

If you need evidence to dismiss the employee go for it as specially if they sending confidential information out of the company if they go to the CCMA you cool as long as you had a hearing to hear the employees side of the story or even involve the CCMA once you have the evidence

It does not work the same as when you trying to get the information of a privatly owned pc then you need a court order this is not the case within a company

 

[Roger.Wilco]

I wouldn't worry to much about the legality of it a employees pc does not belong to him it belongs to the company the company can run any software that it feels it needs to on the pc and can monitor any activities within its own network

You're right by saying a company can install any software they want, but things like keyloggers are illegal unless they signed a contract saying exactly what's monitored. Remember, you're not just monitoring websites here, you're logging every keystroke. If they're using the pc's for personal internet banking, you're getting private details without their consent. Unless you have a very detailed contract which they signed, where they know you're checking everything they do, even personal emails / banking info / etc., things can get really ugly really fast for you.