I am using my own computer at the sight of my biggest client. I have surfed TER and various porn sights. How do I know I'm being watched? In the 2 months I've been here no one has confronted me. How common is it that internet activity is monitored?
Most places with a network have monitoring capabilities. Your real question is "do they review the log"?
For starters, the sites are not blocked, which is a good start. My guess (and worth exactly what you're paying me for it) is that they only look when there's reason to. For example, an employee complains that they're being exposed to offensive images that they saw on a coworkers screen.
To be safe, you shouldn't be doing that stuff at work.
Your best bet is to stop doing it through your client's network. If you can get a broadband modem from your wireless phone service, use that. Other than that, you will have to assume that not only can they see what you see, but are.
Get wise. Surfing adult related sites at your place of employment can be cause for termination. There is a website log and its only a matter of time before its reviewed.
Windows Washer just cleans the local machine, which he owns already. The issue is the logs on the server. If he starts wiping those (if he can), he'll be in a lot more trouble than just visiting inappropriate sites.
But for your home PC, I think Windows Washer is a good purchase.
As far as active notification, they may have it. Some companies actively block, others use the same software to quietly notify administrators, and many do both. Still others may run the logs through a filter every month and investigate the unusual.
As the overwhelming sentiment says: STOP
If you stop and are clean for a while, you may be OK if you are called on it. Apologize profusely, tell them you were having personal issues and have gotten that straightened up and it will never happen again. Make sure you never visit an NSW site again. I would also cut down on the personal surfing (ESPN, etc) to set a good example.
I know of a VP of Marketing that got fired for doing what you're doing on his lunch hour (kiss goodbye a $250k/year job and a 25 year career with the same company). Also, an airport manager for a major county airport was recently fired in CA.
Companies are firing people over the fear of sexual harassment complaints/lawsuits, as well as because it violates their own policies for conduct at work.
The VP was fired because of hidden surveillance cameras that nobody knew about prior to his being shown the door. The airport manager got fired for privately viewing the subject web sites in his office, but leaving a trail at the county internet server. Someone eventually checked and he was fired the next day.
If you're a consultant, they'd probably just cancel your contract. But with word of mouth being what it is, do you really want to take that chance with your livelihood?
From a LAN management perspective, you can count on the fact that you ARE being watched and sooner or later you WILL be caught.
Yes, you can be monitored without knowing it. I used to do this all the time. I'd randomly watch some folks and purposefully watch others who I KNEW were doing inappropriate things.
It always would amaze them when I'd take over their terminal, fire up Notepad, type them a note letting them know they had been monitored, then many times force reboot their system - all remotely.
If the IT department wants they CAN track you. But most likely they will not do this without any reason. Not visiting this sites at work is the best prevention.
Everyting is recorded every day (all files are backed up automatically). The information is there!
The IT people themselves have better things to do than monitor your activity (like looking up porn, LOL). However, the moment something occurs in the workplace, which could have nothing at all to do with you, they will see what you've been up to.
Be safe, wait till you get home or bring your laptop and DO NOT connect to your workplace server.
I am not in IT but know enough people who are to know that they will catch me if I am not VERY careful.
if you are going to surf questionable sites, at least make it hard for them to figure it out. There are services, like VPN, that that only log as that VPN server. They can complain that you are accessing the VPN site, but they can't tell what you surf through the VPN site (traffic is encrypted between you and the VPN, so they would have to decrypt the traffic to see what you are seeing).
Case in point: I interned at one company for a bit last year and there was a guy who was online chatting all day on myspace or something. So, his supervisor (who thankfully has a sense of humor,) created a fake profile and chatted back, posing as some hot girl. Well, the guy took the bait, thought he was in love, and when the day came they were to meet, he got a note from his supervisor that if he was done flirting with him, could they talk about his internet usage. lol. He wasn't fired, but I doubt the guy would ever misuse the net at work again. lol.
OK, as an IT guy I will tell you that, yes, your surfing/email/upload/download habits are being recorded. Are they being ACTIVELY monitored? Probably not, but this varies greatly from company to company..The more resources the company has, the more closely you're being watched. I can only speak from my personal 15 years of experience and this is what I've seen. IT usually has too much to do from actual IT projects (that all need to be done yesterday...you people know who you are haha) and don't have the time or desire to actively monitor what's going on. It's much easier for a company to install applications to block access to questionable sites than to monitor where you've been after the fact.
HOWEVER, if there is cause to believe, or there is suspiscion that company resources are being misused, we will actively monitor you. I agree with the others that have stated that it's better not to take the chance and wait till you're at home for questionable surfing practices.
If you just can't hold on till you get home to jump on TER...better hope you're in real good with the IT person(s) that does the monitoring, and that they will give you a heads up... before you're fired.
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haha) and don't have the time or desire to actively monitor what's going on. It's much easier for a company to install applications to block access to questionable sites than to monitor where you've been after the fact.