ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The pandemic has forced many employers into having their employees work from home. Some managers are skittish about this and monitor remote work through the devices you use.
Security expert Scott Schaffer explains how you can be monitored remotely:
- Corporate email: Email administrators can see everything in your mailbox. Some platforms have the capability to implement a “litigation hold” to assure that nothing is deleted from the user’s mailbox.
- Your Internet browser: Your internet connection travels through a corporate gateway prior to going to the Internet; your employer can generally see all sites you visit. If you are browsing on a company machine outside of the corporate network (coffee shop, airport, etc.), your Internet history can most likely still be logged.
- Collaboration tools: Tools such as Microsoft Teams, Slack, Google Meet, etc. also store information on your messages, video calls, and so on.
- Third-party solutions: There are several options available to watch employees, and they can allow your employer to monitor for certain terms or phrases used in emails, log how much time you spend on social media, and how much time you spend online. The software may also allow your employer to monitor more activity.
- Rule of Thumb: the computer you are issues and all data upon it are the property of your employer. However, it is the enlightened employer’s responsibility to make sure that you know if and how you are being monitored.