| Let's face it. Monitoring employees' e-mail, tracking | | | | are sending obscene or hateful emails. Software |
| their Internet use, logging everything done at | | | | for email monitoring costs far less than a single |
| keyboards has become the norm in Corporate | | | | compensation payment in case the victim sues |
| America.With computer monitoring software so | | | | the firm. Lots of companies can't afford litigation; |
| cheap and easy-to-apply it's no wonder that | | | | those who can, don't want it.Even logging every |
| workplace surveillance becomes more and more | | | | keystroke can be justified if the employees are |
| widespread.Here are some figures from the 2005 | | | | dealing with trade secrets or some other highly |
| Electronic Monitoring & Surveillance Survey made | | | | valuable (in a direct sense of this word) |
| by American Management Association and the | | | | information. It doesn't necessarily imply distrust -- |
| consulting firm ePolicy Institute:76% of companies | | | | some companies just won't survive if some |
| monitor websites their employees visit, and 65% | | | | confidential information is lost.If the employer |
| use software to block connections to certain | | | | doesn't allow staff to surf a bit during lunch |
| websites.36% use software to log keystrokes | | | | breaks, it doesn't at all mean the boss is a petty |
| and keep track of the time spent at keyboards. | | | | tyrant or just greedy. There is another reason |
| 50% store and review computer files.55% store | | | | for these restrictions.Unrestricted Web surfing |
| and review employees' email messages.So, | | | | from workplace computers leads to corporate |
| wherever you work, the odds of your company's | | | | PCs swarming with malicious software. In fact, |
| keeping a keen technology-aided eye on you are | | | | lots of these computers already are choke full of |
| pretty high. There is no such thing as privacy at | | | | various unwanted programs, some of them |
| the workplace, experts say. Let's not have any | | | | extremely dangerous.Last October, America |
| illusions about it. Even if you are allowed to use | | | | Online and the National Cyber Security Alliance |
| workplace computer at lunchtime or after work, | | | | examined the computers of 329 randomly |
| the policy covering the use of computers and the | | | | selected Internet users and found that 85 percent |
| Internet applies as well.According to the same | | | | of them contained some form of spyware. The |
| study, 84% companies surveyed do have rules | | | | average "infected" computer had more than 90 |
| covering personal use of email, 81% have | | | | spyware and adware programs.The State of |
| established policies governing the Internet use. So, | | | | Spyware Report, made by Webroot Software |
| majority of organizations at least have set up | | | | released on May 3, says:During Q1, 2005, 87% of |
| rules for everybody to observe.80% of | | | | scans made with Webroot's SpyAudit software |
| organizations that monitor keystrokes and time | | | | found some form of unwanted program (Trojan, |
| spent at keyboards let employees know about | | | | system monitor, cookie or adware) on corporate |
| that. 86% notify staff about email monitoring, and | | | | PCs.Excluding cookies, which are not such a |
| 89% alert workers that their Web activities are | | | | serious problem as key logger programs or |
| tracked. These figures show that for vast | | | | Trojan horses, more than 55% of corporate PCs |
| majority of employers the aim is to make | | | | contained unwanted programs. There were an |
| workforce to comply with the rules rather than | | | | average of 7.2 non-cookie infections per PC.Now |
| to catch somebody red-handed. The remaining | | | | consider the fact that no single anti-virus or |
| 20%, 16% and 11% probably carry out | | | | anti-spyware product protects against all the crap |
| clandestine monitoring. Too bad, but there is little | | | | that might land in workplace computers. You are |
| employees can do in most such cases.It seems | | | | lucky if it's just irritating adware. But in case of |
| odd, but under the law, in many states employers | | | | programs capable of stealing information, like |
| aren't obliged to warn employees about computer | | | | keyloggers or keylogging-containing Trojans, a |
| and /or email monitoring. We may grumble it's not | | | | single "overlooked" program may mean lost |
| fair, we might protest, but that's that. At least in | | | | valuable data.Of course, no regulation is perfect. |
| the vast majority of organizations monitoring is | | | | Everywhere where there are rules, policies and |
| not surreptitious.If the rules are set, the only | | | | regulations there is always room for abuse or |
| option is to conform to them. And try not to | | | | misunderstanding. It seems that the human factor |
| take offense, though it is not easy. Though | | | | is the weakest link here.Ancient Romans used to |
| employers sometimes are carrying it too far, in | | | | say "Dura lex sed lex" (the law is harsh but it is a |
| most cases they aren't doing it out of pure | | | | law). Present-day computerized workforce can |
| malice. Company owners are protecting | | | | paraphrase it "the policy is strict but it's a |
| themselves from reputation-damaging scandals, | | | | policy".Alexandra Gamanenko currently works at |
| costly workplace harassment lawsuits and data | | | | Raytown Corporation, LLC -- an independent |
| leakage.Employers are expected to protect | | | | software developing company that provides |
| employees from hostility at workplaces, and they | | | | various solutions for information security. |
| monitor, say, email messages to spot those who | | | | |