As an extremely precaution person, I’m kinda surprise how many people doesn’t understand their own office IT protocols until perhaps it’s too late. Maybe they are aware but derived the mentality of ‘it can’t happen to me’. If you don’t know what I am talking about, perhaps it’s time to dig up the employee handbook of yours and blow off the dust on the top, turn to the chapter that says IT Protocols. And if you so happen to work in a company who doesn’t really inform their employees, here are some of the facts you should know or already know before you find yourself out of job, or worse, in legal hot waters.
IT can read your Emails Yes, the IT department can and will read your emails. They probably use a tracking software that picks up sensitive keywords and flag out those emails that deem suspicious. Even if your company uses yahoo.com or gmail.com or any of the web servers, it might be set up to reroute through your company’s IT security after it route in or out the web provider’s server.
What does this mean for you? Keep the flirting with your secretary out of emails, don’t send a personal email to your boyfriend using the company’s email, don’t use your company’s email to sign up for any lucky draws or contact form. Your IT doesn’t need to know that you are cheating on your wife, had the best sex last night with your boyfriend and applied membership to AshleyMadison.com. Seriously, keep it down!
Track Your Activity Yup, your IT geek can track every of your activity as long as you are using the corporate laptop.
What does this mean for you? Meaning your bank transfer, you serving Youtube for those simply cute cat videos in the morning before your meeting with the boss and going to Match.com to find your one true love during your break time will be tracked unless you are not on your company’s computer and wifi.
Downloads If just purely surfing can be tracked, downloads are definitely on a high alert with the folks in IT department. They are able to program the company’s server to detect downloads that is not within the company’s intranet.
What does this mean for you? We are adults here and I’m taking that you are aware that copyrighted movies and drama serials downloads are a big no no. Even if you purchase over iTunes, chances are you are already infringing company’s policy by using their property, their time and their internet bandwidth. Even when you download innocent Adobe PDF to read what your client attached in an email to you, it’s wrong as well. Most software out there, caters to consumers free of charge however on a company’s premises, it is considered as corporate and should be purchased as a corporate account from 3rd party companies. Hence, if you go ahead and do so, you are putting your company at risk by opening it to a potential lawsuit.
Streaming Well, the same goes for streaming videos as the above scenario like kitten video watching on YouTube. You may find it adorable and brightens your day but your IT manager probably will be jumping when the Internet bandwidth has a spike. A lot of folks I know are aware that they should not download any illegal stuff on their company’s laptop but streaming should be harmless, right? Wrong. And I have seen too many people accosted out of the building for streaming porn. Sad but true.
What does this mean for you? You know those irritating websites that has auto advertisements that pop up and stream on its own? Yep, that’s counted too. Even if it is not your fault, unless you’re doing research for work, you have a clear justification. If not, be prepared to face some tough questions.
Your mobile on company’s wifi Even if you are bringing your own devise like your mobile phone or iPad, as long as it is hooked up to the company’s wifi, you can be tracked. Sure, the tracking will be minimum as compared to the office computer but any downloads and streaming is likely to be picked up on the company’s radar.
What does this mean for you? You know you have been downloading movies using torrent on your own devise at home but if you bring it to office and it gets automatically hooked up on the company’s wifi, you get yourself into trouble too. Most torrent clients may pause the downloading or uploading on their app or site when there are no wifi detected, leading you to assume that it is turned off. However, they can and will continue downloading or uploading once they detect the company’s wifi, the moment you enter your office building.
Do they have the right? Sorry to say this but yes, they do have the right as you are on company’s time, it is the company’s property and the company’s internet. So yes, they reserve the right to take action against you. Most of the companies I know do turn a blind eye however, they won’t hesitant to use it against you if they want to get rid of you.
Keep personal separate The only thing you can do to protect yourself is to keep everything separated. I know it must sound that I am being super cautious and for a good reason too. Why would I want to risk my job on some stupid action that I could easily avoid by doing it at home instead during working hours?
Do you agree with me? Share your thoughts at the comments below.
Join us at Twitter (MiddleMe_net), FaceBook and WeChat!
Comments