Program History

My work has banned MSN messenger from our work computers. I come in a couple of times before work and download and install the MSN Messenger Live software so i can talk to my girlfreind in the UK then before work starts uninstall the program again.

I have got suspicious that work may be tracking what I do on my computers including what programs i have installed/uninstalled?

Would they be able to track which programs have been installed and uninstalled on my computer in the past and if they can is there anyway that i can delete the history?

Thanks for your help!

 

Hi, pcben. Welcome to Windows BBS.

I don't know if your employer's network administrator tracks what programs you install/uninstall but I expect they can track and monitor the traffic that flows in/out between your computer and the Internet (via the use of a network traffic "sniffer "). I wouldn't be surprised if they DO track such traffic. Whether they monitor it though, probably depends on how strict your employer is about enforcing the ban.

I expect MSN Messenger has certain default ports it uses for communication and the network administrator can monitor those ports for traffic that appears to be associated with MSN Messenger. If MSN Messenger uses certain ports for its communication, your network administrator might decide to block those ports at the network's firewall. Firewalls typically log unauthorized connection attempts (including the IP address of the specific computer that tries to use the blocked ports).

In other words, they CAN tie any/all of your internet traffic to YOU, even if they don't specifically block MSN Messenger traffic.

Since it appears you may have already "broken the rules ", I suggest you stop using MSN Messenger at work for now, wait at least a few weeks (so any traffic logs aren't recent) and then and consult with your network administrator about whether they even allow MSN messenger traffic outside of your work hours. (Just asking about using MSN Messenger might arouse suspicion and cause them to review their traffic logs.)

They may be banning MSN Messenger traffic as a defense measure against malware (viruses, worms, trojan horses, etc.) getting into their network. If they ban MSN Messenger, even outside of work hours, then I suggest you adhere to their terms. Otherwise, installing/using MSN Messenger may be cause for reprimand, even employment termination. (You might be fired.) This is especially true if you have received notice of the ban in writing.

If you can convince the network adminitrator that you are competent in using effective anti-malware applications and keeping them updated, perhaps you can get permission to use MSN Messenger. That may be a hard sell though.

EDIT: My message assumes you're on a network. If it's a "stand alone" machine that's not networked, then your employer can probably find several telltale signs on the computer that MSN Messenger was installed and used. Even if I knew all the places to look for such "history ", I wouldn't offer guidance on how to do it because it appears to be subversive behavior on your part. That's probably not what most employers want from their employees.

Even if it's a stand alone computer, your employer might still secretly install a keylogger type "spy" program on the computer and view how it is used.

IMHO, you're better off finding another route to communicate with your GF (i.e., via your home computer that isn't under the control of your employer).