Spyware finding help.

[kneescraper]

Hey all,

One of my friends have a problem, he thinks his work computer has spyware software that he thinks has been installed by his boss...to keep an eye on things.

The problem is, his contract says he can use the PC for personal use during lunch times....he uses it for internet banking, emails etc. Hes worried that his boss can see his passwords etc.

Is there any software out there than can see if there is remote software installed on his PC. Hes tried Adware, Spybot Search and Distroy etc etc...and after reading on the net..those programs wont beable to find the software avalible to boses and mums these days.

Any help would be great!

BTW - It really is a friend...not me..I couldnt care less if Im being watched by my boss. Im sure hes got better things to do, plus respect goes both ways in the work place. :)

[NighthawkNZ]

One of my friends have a problem, he thinks his work computer has spyware software that he thinks has been installed by his boss...to keep an eye on things.

The problem is, his contract says he can use the PC for personal use during lunch times....he uses it for internet banking, emails etc. Hes worried that his boss can see his passwords etc.

Is there any software out there than can see if there is remote software installed on his PC. Hes tried Adware, Spybot Search and Distroy etc etc...and after reading on the net..those programs wont beable to find the software avalible to boses and mums these days.


Unfortunately at the end of the day the boss is allowed to install what ever software he wants, its his computer not "your friends". If he his allowed to use it during lunch breaks for personal stuff then just make sure he don't visit porn sites and the like and if truely worried about don't do banking.

[kneescraper]

Yep, I said the same thing to him.

Still if there is any software out there let us know!

[Toaster]

I doubt he'd be permitted to download or install any software on the work computer to be able to check it.

[kneescraper]

Theres where I come in, I download it on my home PC and put it on my USB stick and he can install it on a weekend.

[Maffoo]

get a program called 'hijackthis.exe'
it doesnt install as such... it runs from its own exe
it will tell you exactly what is running, what starts at boot, etc

fantastic tool, i swear by it

[kneescraper]

Errrrhhh going by its name it sounds likes a bit ot spyware its self.

[davereid]

The best thing you can do is go to http://www.x-raypc.com/ and download a copy of their free PC scanner.

This examines your PC and reports the name of EVERY application running, including hidden application, BHOs etc.

It has a couple of limitations...

1.. It makes a very superficial attempt at advising you of the triage of a program. ie if it knows its a "goody" it will say so. But most applications just are lsted as "don't know"

2.. It lets you halt, and delete any running process. But nce gone, there is no recycle bin.

So, I would suggest you run it from a floppy, or USB drive - it does not need to be installed.

Print the report, and Google it from home to find out what each runing application does.

[NighthawkNZ]

get a program called 'hijackthis.exe'
it doesnt install as such... it runs from its own exe
it will tell you exactly what is running, what starts at boot, etc

fantastic tool, i swear by it


Errrrhhh going by its name it sounds likes a bit ot spyware its self.

No its freeware and good we app there is also another similar caller Startup Monitor

[Maffoo]

Errrrhhh going by its name it sounds likes a bit ot spyware its self.

no its not spyware at all, its fantastic
easily the best way to keep your pc clean, as long as you have reasonable computer skills

[Usarka]

One of my friends have a problem, he thinks his work computer has spyware software that he thinks has been installed by his boss...to keep an eye on things.


Tell him lay off the P. that shit makes you paranoid.

[kneescraper]

Hahahahahh good point Usarka, that might be the problem.

Thanks for all the other advice.

[Fub@r]

Just be careful there is nothing in your mates contract about downloading and/or installing unapproved software on his machine :)

Not sure a boss can monitor you like that without you being made aware that he is doing it.

Where I work our internet usage was sky rocketing. Work installed monitoring software to see where the usage was coming from but notified all staff first that they would now be monitoring net usage.

Even after the warning they still caught some surfing the porn :)

[kneescraper]

Ahhh Fubar, he thougth that was the case...that they had to tell him first.
Porns the last thing he looks at, a good christian boy that he his...the worse thing would be a picture of a horny looking motorbike.

Cheers for all the help.

[Lias]

Just be careful there is nothing in your mates contract about downloading and/or installing unapproved software on his machine :)

Not sure a boss can monitor you like that without you being made aware that he is doing it.

Where I work our internet usage was sky rocketing. Work installed monitoring software to see where the usage was coming from but notified all staff first that they would now be monitoring net usage.

Even after the warning they still caught some surfing the porn :)

Our work has fairly extensive documented policies on all facets of computer and network usage, pc usage, internet usage, etc etc. Staff sign they agree to these policies when employed, we send our reminder emails on a regular basis, and STILL we end up referring a few cases a month of misuse to HR.

We seem to have gotten the message through about porn, only had 2 cases in 2007 that I'm aware of, but we get alot of staff using proxy avoidance sites (anonymizer.com etc) which is considered serious misconduct. They just cant understand that we do NOT want them surfing bebo and myspace and trademe all day at work. They seem to consider it their god given right.

And dont get me started on the students.. At least students are easy to deal with.. You just remove their internet access on the first offense, permanently. Staff wehave to document it and have HR investigations and all the bollocks.

[MisterD]

They just cant understand that we do NOT want them surfing bebo and myspace and trademe all day at work. They seem to consider it their god given right.


Whereas most companies look down their figurative noses at anyone who dares to leave on the dot, at the end of their contracted working day...f-ing hypocrites.

[Lias]

Whereas most companies look down their figurative noses at anyone who dares to leave on the dot, at the end of their contracted working day...f-ing hypocrites.

We work on maori time lol. Work is actually really cruisy about stuff like that, at least in the areas i've seen (with 1200 staff nationwide I cant speak for the whole place). But being a maori organisation with strong cultural links, employees get alot of leeway.

[kneescraper]

Reading all this stuff makes me realise that I work at a awesome business.
I feel sorry for all you people!

[sweetp]

has your freind thought about what would happen if his boss finds out that he has installed his own program on the machine? The company might want to know what is going on but I imagine would take a very dim view of someone installing there own software to check out what the company is doing.

I agree with whoever mentioned it earlier - the contract (or at least some IT policy) probably prohibits this. At the end of the day it is doubtful that the work software would record the password and even if it did would they really do anything with it?

This sounds like one of those times he just has to suck it up - at least he has internet access even if it is monitored.

[Kittyhawk]

Download heaps of porn then you'll find out if spyware is being used.

Computers have NO privacy.