Monitoring Workstations Remotely 6

[sqladmin99]

Hi All,

I worked in a small company with less than 60 client computers. All computer are running on Windows 2000 OS under one Domain.

Recently my manager asked me to set up one computer that he can use to monitor (real-time remote desktop viewing) 8 to 10 workstations on the network. He does not want users to know about their computers are being monitored. I know this sound little weird but I have to do it because this request is from executive management team.

I am not Networking Guru but I have heard about Windows 2000 Terminal Services and my question is:

1) Can I use Terminal Server to set up something like this?

2) Do I need to buy third party software?

Please let me know. I appreciate you suggestions.

Thank you,

RS

 

[Shift838]

Terminal services will not allow you to monitor, just login remotely, but when you login remotely the user on the other end will know.

What type of monitoring is required, I mean, file and object, or web surfing, or what. If the monitoring needs to be very robust then you will have to purchase a third party software..

 

[sqladmin99]

He doest want to store any information.

All he want is:

Real time view of users desktop without notifying user. So he can see what kind of activities users are doing at any given time.


Thanks

RS

 

[jsd2003]

VNC will let you do this, but the default security isn't perfect and the user would be able to see who is spying. It wouldn't notify the user, but the user could click on the icon in the systray and find out.

Google WinVNC.

 

[rrsub]

You can disable the systray icon for VNC.

 

[sqladmin99]

how can I disalbe the systray Icon?

Thanks

RS

 

[jegray]

Dameware!

http://www.dameware.com

I use it here, and absolutely love it. Not that expensive, and you can completely customize if the client is notified when you connect. Also, it runs as a service under Windows 2000. There is a free trial on there website, so you can try it before you buy it.

Josh.

 

[dietcokebottle]

I cannot believe your company is doing this spying on people its a clear violation of someones privacy there is laws against this sort of thing its not a concentration camp

 

[jegray]

It is not about being a concentration camp, it is about employees using their pc's for what the company purchased them for, and that is doing work. Unfortunately, the old saying that 1 bad apple spoils the bunch holds true in many companies today. This is especially true today due to the amount of business and information that is being passed over the internet, it is a necessary evil that most employees need to have access to, but why allow them to abuse it, and get paid a nice salary to sit and shop all day online?

Josh.

 

[penauroth]

A cheap option is to use Computer Management and connect to the server. Under System Tools > Shared Folders > Sessions You can see who is logged on, machine name or IP, connected time, idle time, etc. Also, Open Files will tell you what files they have opened on that server.

Paul

 

[Seaspray0]

If you do monitor, I suggest you have a logon script warning users that their activities can be monitored and apply it to all users. You can avoid lawsuits that way and the threat alone will help keep the surfing in check.

 

[DarraghFitzpatrick]

Came across your forum while searching for something else.
Just to make you aware, if you monitor what your staff are doing on their PC's is illegal in many ways.
The only way around this is to ensure your users are aware that use of the IT equipment is only for work purposes
that this is the case at all times, not just work hours etc.

In other words you should ensure you have IT policies covering details like the above written and distributed throughout the company to all staff.

Another very important factor is that you need to have all staff sign a copy of each IT policy.

If your executive manager wishes to use this to enforce proper use of the computer technology you would be very wise to do the above ESPECIALLY having staff sign.

Otherwise you, your manager and the company (depending on what country you live on) could be leaving yourselves open for legal problems

 

[bluewhaleCA]

Monitoring Employee's using work PC's is completely legal, in every state in the country, at this time. Check with ALMOST any attorney. Read almost any article in PC Magazine, CSO, Info World, E-Week, etc etc. You do NOT need to have a written policy stating you reserve the right to monitor employee activities at work: the company has that right by default on company owned systems. No court ( appellate level or higher ) in the country has ruled that a company does not have that right as the PC is paid for by the company and the Employee is at work, EVEN IF they are on break at that moment.

The only exception I have seen in the past year or two is should the company have a written policy which states they will NOT spy on their employees and then spy on them in this fashion they may be liable as they made a sort of promise not to do so. I can't say how enforcable that would be/what damages we might get as syped upon employees..

If anyone can point me toward actual legal decisions in any state or articles quoting such which indicate otherwise I would really appreciate it. This is a hot topic at work and I have followed it as closely as possible for 10 years. But again, I've read nothing which states employers can not spy on their employees, and have read decisions which state clearly that they can do so.


Paul

 

[Aswin01]

I Have something great for you.

Remote Administrator.

With a simple logon script or *.bat file this prgm install himself as a systemservice. (no add in start menu, or desktop or tray.) you can:
1) Take over mouse and keybourd.
2) viewing the desktop.
3) browsing his Hard disk
4) start a hidden command - dos where you can give commands.
5) you can start him as a telnet.

Very handy.
Bij profiles add in logon script. install.bat
en its done.
system requirements:
pentium 386 with 8Mb ram win95/win9x/NT/2000/2003.... download:

http://www.radmin.com/radmin21.zip

manual:

http://www.radmin.com/radmin.pdf

It is a free prgm. If you need a key, ask me.(free)


If you have questions with the remote installation in the script file ask me for help:
aswin.coolsaet@skynet.be

 

[JemimaS]

IANAL, but concerning the legality of this, please clarify the country for which you are making legal suggestions. I believe e.g UK an US law differ in this area.

See:

http://news.zdnet.co.uk/story/0,,t281-s2135870,00.html

Jemima

 

[bluewhaleCA]

Jemima:

Your correct. What little I follow of British Law states that corporate entities can not spy on their employees. The original posters posting did not appear to be from the UK ( a number of lists I'm on have many UK residents, who normally use more 'proper' english than we US deziens, and thus are identifiable as Brits )
My comments related solely to US legal decisions.


Paul

 

[stussy]

Re: Aswin recommending RemoteAdmin software - he's right , it's a great piece of software. Very small, easy to use and the user would have no idea. It's like a small scale PcAnywhere.

However it is NOT free, it's a small fee per couple of licences.

 

[jthiessen]

Radmin is great. Better than PC Anywhere IMHO. VNC is horrible, but free...

Josh

 

[Aswin01]

Radmin, better than pcanywhere... i dont think so, pcanywhere is complex, with redialling and sheduling and automatic transfers, but ramdin is just small, easy, installs himself as a systemservice and... nobody knows it.

I have an keygenerator for it.

In the help of ramdim it is explained how te install radmin just in a logon-bat file ;-)

mark me..

 

[VRIT]

Hi,

I had to do the very same a few months back. The solution I came up with was to purchase and use Net Support Manager. You can deploy it to a workstation without the user knowing and they cannot tell they are being watched. It works on Thin Client technology so it runs about 100 times faster than VNC (which is what I used before NSM).

In regards to the legal aspect, well thats simple - ensure the company handbook/contract states that you computer can and will be monitored. You may also want to check the new Data Protection Laws as they have just been updated to cover the monitoring of emails and computer use.

I hope that helps

VRIT