How much can they find out?

[DesignDawg]

Hey all,

At work, I have a computer that ONLY I have ever touched. I own it, I built it, and I am the only person who has ever used it for anything. I just have it here for my own purposes. But I was wondering... ow much can they know about what I do on the network here? I was not given any IP address or anything.... I just installed Windows, plugged the CAT5 in, and I was on the internet. Everything is automatic. Didn't configure anything. So, if someone was wanting to know what sites I was visiting and such, how much could they find out? Also, if I were to visit something that they didn't want me visiting, could they trace those sites back to my computer specifically? --Or can they only do that whem there is a tracking program installed?

Thanks,

Ricky
DesignDawg

 

[flood]

They could interrogate you.

 

[dennilfloss]

Click here to see how secure Internet Explorer is. :Q

Automatic (Pointer Sisters)

 

[perfectlysane]

they can see where youve been...

 

[urbantechie]

LOL Deni, one fo the oldest tricks in the book

 

[DesignDawg]

I know about the leaktest page, and I've seen that they can see my computer name, workgroup, etc... But that site doesn't tell me a list of websites I've visited. Can anyone? Without having software installed on my computer?

Ricky
DesignDawg

 

[SinnerWolf]

If they actively monitor the network, they can disable or allow access to every network/internet/intranet you try to connect to. If they log the network, which is fairly common, they'll know every site you've visited. But i wouldn't worry because the purpose of logging is typically to determine if outside or remote access has been attempted/gained, information compromised, and the like.

 

[SinnerWolf]

If they actively monitor the network, they can disable or allow access to every network/internet/intranet you try to connect to. If they log the network, which is fairly common, they'll know every site you've visited. But i wouldn't worry because the purpose of logging is typically to determine if outside or remote access has been attempted/gained, information compromised, and the like.

 

[DesignDawg]

So, if they log, they can see every site visited? Does each listing on the site have info on which computer visited it? Is that info an IP address, or something different? Since this computer doesn't have a static IP set in it, would that be traceable back to this very computer? Also, is it possible that the port on the wall here has a specific address, so my computer doesn't HAVE to have one configured in order to have a static IP for me?

Ricky
DesignDawg

 

[Dameon]

DesignDawg it goes like this:

If they run proxy server, every request for stuff on the net goes thru it... it can log every bloody thing if they want. This means if www.buttlovin.com shows up in your IP address log along with filenames of an incriminating nature, they can laugh at you, then fire you.

IF you are on a DHCP nerwork where a server GIVES you your IP, then each login goes back to the login request. IE - USERNAME.

Static IP, run a couple of apps to trace it back to MAC address on the NIC, look for the box with that NIC in it. Or, trace back where the domain login came from, if your login name always comes from that IP... ooopsie for you.

Simple solution: Don't look at Pr0n, warez, and hate group crap while at work.
How hard is it?

 

[DesignDawg]

Dameon,

Well, since I'm not looking at ANY of those, I'd say it's not hard at all. Nor is what you're saying ANY SOLUTION at all. I'm asking a question here, and while some of your answer was informative, some of it was judgmental, smart-assy, presumtive, and grossly inaccurate. Just because I am concerned about my privacy on a computer I own does not mean I am a racist pervert pirating software on company time.

Ricky
DesignDawg

 

[Dameon]

Sorry, but why is it a concern really? If they want to know you look at anandtech... woop dee doo.. so what? Sorry... it's just that most employers will only look if there is a problem, such as one of the items mentioned. Most don't care about sports sites, techie stuff, etc. They would have to fire too many people..

 

[Soybomb]

Yeah it wouldnt be too difficult to trace something back to you, but unless you're breaking company policy by surfing during work hours I wouldnt worry about it too much Where I work we have a dhcp setup and nat routing so we coudl log the traffic, but don't We don't care where people go and won't unless it gets to be a problem

 

[DesignDawg]

And, let me clarify further....

As I said, this is my computer. I built it, I own it. When I use it for work, it is strictly business. I have nothing to worry about there. However, I have a private office, and I have 24-hour access to this office and this computer for whatever I want to use it for. For example, right now, I am not working. I am not on the clock, not getting paid, and certainly not supposed to be doing anything productive. I am here because I was bored, and wanted to come to my office for the fast connection. I simply would like to know how private that connection is. I don't want anyone listening to my phone calls. NONE of them. EVER. Does that mean every time I am on the phone, I am plotting something, or saying something illegal? Nope. It means I value privacy. Same with the internet. I don't want anyone seeing what sites I visit. EVER. Does that mean I am always doing something I should be ashamed of on the internet? No. Right now, for example, I am on Anandtech. OOOOOH. BAD BOY. --But it's nobody's business but mine. I'm trying to find out if there could possibly be someone out there right now looking at a list of websites and knowing it was me who visited them.

Ricky
DesignDawg

 

[kranky]

I agree with Dameon's assessment of how the tracing works.