01 Aug 7 Computer Facts Your Boss Wants You to Know

Depending on how productive you’ve been at work recently, you may or may not feel as if your boss is “peeking” over your digital shoulder. Maybe you feel like you’re being watched A LOT, or maybe you don’t. Allow me to dispel your fears: no matter how paranoid you may or may not be feeling; no matter how productive you have or haven’t been recently, your employer is undoubtedly monitoring – at least a little, but maybe a lot. That’s correct. According to an American Management Association research, three-fourths of the major companies in the United States undertake frequent, routine – and legal, it should be noted – investigations. Employee computer monitoring includes keeping track on employee email, Internet activity, and computer files posted or downloaded from work computers. While such digital spying may appear to be unethical or immoral, corporations have valid reasons to monitor employee computers and mobile devices. Here are seven things your boss wants to know about your computer, as well as seven reasons why your company may be utilizing keylogger software, malware, or other ways to spy on your computer activity.

1) Is your computer infected with malware or viruses?

This may sound apparent, but knowing if a piece of malware has gotten through the business firewall or if you’ve received a virus on your PC might be the difference between life and death for a firm. Presenting a compelling case for corporations to monitor employee PCs Many a network has been brought to its knees as a result of one employee following a malicious email link or downloading an apparently harmless file that conceals a destructive infection. It is also critical to detect an infection as soon as possible. The longer an infection goes undiscovered, and the more employees in a network who download it or click the malicious link, the more widespread the virus becomes and the more difficult it is to manage; consequently, the longer a network may remain crippled.

2) What programs have you downloaded or attempted to download to your computer?

Although it may be unpleasant for employees, the most secure private networks restrict administrator access to IT directors or other trained IT experts within the firm. This implies that only the IT department may install new programs on a system, as well as delete or update old ones. This enables businesses to tightly regulate every piece of software downloaded to a system or network, dramatically minimizing the likelihood of infection. If your company’s network permits individual employees to control what is downloaded to or removed from a workstation, the IT department must be aware of what you’ve downloaded or edited. It is also likely that your company’s IT rules must be changed.

3) Which programs require updates?

This information is critical for your supervisor or IT director to know since it might be the difference between catching a virus and keeping harmful software off the network. Most virus or malware applications are configured to automatically update, but if a software refuses to update for whatever reason, someone has to know – and quickly. The same is true for any other program that may require regular security updates.

You may be interested in this article too: Top 5 Mobile Device Attacks You Need to Watch Out For

4) What websites have you visited recently?

Employee computer monitoring can have a good influence on both productivity and network security in this area. Are the websites you’re browsing for business or for pleasure? How many personal visits have you made? What sorts of websites are there? How much time have you spent on such sites when you could have been working? Have you visited any sites that contained harmful code? Many firms have blocking software in place to prevent employees from visiting potentially harmful sites or sites deemed improper for work, but employers have valid reasons to spy on employees’ computer internet-usage patterns.

5) Do you use corporate email for personal reasons?

Nobody loves the notion of someone reading their email conversation, whether it’s work-related or personal. If you have a company-assigned email address, you have little to no expectation of privacy. In privacy concerns, courts have routinely found in favor of companies. In a 2011 California case, for example, a judge decided that a woman who contacted her lawyer from her work email account on a company-owned computer violated attorney-client privilege. Sending privileged or secret correspondence about personal business over company-owned email accounts or equipment is a terrible idea in general. Companies have a genuine interest in understanding what is being sent and received through work email since it may expose them to criminal or legal responsibility. For example, if a firm is ignorant of sexist, racist, or otherwise abusive mail being transmitted across their own network, that lack of supervision might cost them dearly. And, of course, there’s the issue of productivity, which is never a trivial topic in today’s commercial environment. You have no right to privacy if you send and receive emails from a personal email account on a work-owned computer. Although you’re on solid legal basis in this case, businesses still have a right to know what items are delivered and received on their equipment. Do you really want to gamble on whether or not a court will find in your favor?

6) Have you transferred files from a personal computer and/or a personal mobile device to a computer or mobile device controlled by your employer?

This one, once again, is largely about security. Employees utilizing personal equipment in combination with business equipment may offer one of the most prevalent risks to private networks. As a result, knowing what data have been transferred between home and business computers or mobile devices is in every company’s best interest. Such files can easily include malicious code that can evade detection by antivirus software. It’s also in your company’s best interest to ensure that any personal equipment you use for work-related duties is free of viruses. Many businesses license free or low-cost copies of their virus software (as well as copies of other types of software) for use on staff computers. Do not be afraid to ask your IT director what software is available for personal usage.

7) Have any other staff used your computer? Is anybody else able to access your work-related accounts and passwords?

Sharing passwords is usually a bad idea, but a large proportion of employees continue to do so. Discussing such information with coworkers is bad enough, but sharing it with non-workers (spouses, significant others, closest friends, and so on) is considerably worse. Most employees are probably unaware, but sharing passwords might expose you or your organization to criminal and/or legal responsibility. If your manager believes you’ve compromised your passwords, you should expect your firm to constantly monitor your accounts and internet activities.

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