Re: co-worker spy annoyance

From: rogue (rogue719_at_hotmail.com)
Date: 12/01/03 

Date: 30 Nov 2003 19:36:29 -0800

jonahbasset@yahoo.com (Jonah) wrote in message news:<8c5ac291.0311262102.1efdf64e@posting.google.com>...
> I have strongly suspected for some time now that one of my co-workers
> is somehow able to spy on what programs I am running on my machine and
> currently interacting with. (Windows XP system) I cannot be absolutely
> sure of this, but occasionally, she drops me a cryptic little 'hint'
> implying she knows what I'm doing at the moment. I don't believe she
> has installed any type of spyware program on my machine, but rather is
> using her network admin privileges to do this somehow. She is NOT our
> company admin although she has those privileges locally. I'm sure she
> is probably able to read all my emails and see what sites I visit on
> the internet as well, which of course I do not like, but am not
> particularly concerned with.
>
> I have read that the Windows Management Instrumentation service can
> allow a remote user to see what programs you are running, and I have
> already disabled that. But her 'hints' have not stopped so I have to
> assume that disabling that service did not have the desired effect.
> Although I doubt I can prevent her from snooping through emails etc.,
> I would like to know if there is at least a way to prevent this person
> from spying directly on what I'm doing at the moment! Another service
> I could disable perhaps? Any suggestions?

Hi Jonah,

You've gotten some great ideas here.

I run Zone Alarm on my work computers within the firewall. It is not
discouraged by our system admin.

I also routinely sweep the box with a spyware checker like Spybot
Search and Destroy or Ad Aware. This isn't because of a concern in my
case that I am being watched but because every time I turn around,
some place I have surfed has installed some tracking cookies on my
system. ;-)

Have you considered that this co-worker may be able to see your
screen? Are you near a window where your screen can be reflected?
Overhead mirrors? Are you running software that makes sounds that can
be heard?

I'm not discounting the possibility of some form of spyware on your
machine, but generally, unless I have a know the person in question is
technically that knowledgeable, I check the other more mundane
possibilities first.

One more thing: if your company has an "Unacceptable Use" policy (you
would have been briefed on this when you were hired and likely
required to sign a statement that you had read and understood it) the
company is empowered to know what you are running. Most sysadmins I
know check the server logs to see where you surf, though, rather than
check your computer directly.

Just some things to consider.

Best wishes.

Jerry