Keylogger Found On Office Computer

[ams007]

My jurisdiction is: Florida. I work for a MAJOR US corporation, one that I am sure you have all heard of.

Always had the feeling that my email was being monitored since occasionally co-workers would make comments coincidentally related to subjects in recent personal (hotmail account not company) emails. It's one thing if IT is monitoring computer activity, but how would my co-workers get that info? This has been going on for months.

I just ran spyware software and found that a keylogger was installed on the office computer (laptop) that only I use. I then installed firewall software and soon found that co-workers (not talking about IT personnel) tried to access my computer on various occasions during a period less than 2 days. They were unsuccessful due to the firewall.

I can't imagine how in a MAJOR US corporation, employees could access my computer through the network without help from the IT department.

What are the legal ramifications of this invasion of privacy?

 

[cbg]

You're kidding, right? In this day when computer programming is taught practically in kindergarten and all the equipment you need can be bought at Radio Shack? A major US corporation must have a few hundred people not connected with the IT department who could manage that.

You can let HR know what happened but without incontrovertable proof of who was involved, you have no case. And quite frankly, since your employer can legally monitor your computer useage, even IF IT was involved, your chances of successful legal action are slim.

And, a word of caution. The computer, the softwares on it and the computer connection all belong to the employer. If you don't want your personal e-mail monitored, don't look at it at work.

 

[ams007]

I disagree. I am talking about a major financial corp where possibly sensitive client files and financial records are on people's hard drives. The average person cannot just log on to another computer on the network and access other people's information on their own. This is NOT a Mickey Mouse outfit I'm talking about and the perpetrators are administrative level workers, not IT professionals.

Even if 200 people company-wide (company has offices world-wide) had these skills, how many people in this satellite office in this one administrative department are going to have the skills to access a co-worker's computer on the network of a major financial institution?

I find it hard to believe that the network of a large financial institution with some of the largest corps in the country as clients have a network so wide open that your average idiot could browse through other employee's pcs without help from IT.

As far as using the computer to do personal stuff, haven't you ever sent a personal email or checked your personal bank account balances at lunchtime at work? Would anybody have the right to get access to your personal bank info through the use of a keylogger because you checked your balance while at work? Think about it.

Btw, the firewall log has the user names who tried to get access. I have names, just wondering what I could do legally. That's why I posted.

 

[cbg]

As I said. Complain to HR.