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Do you have a sneaking suspicion that your employer is keeping tabs on your work laptop? It’s a common and valid concern, but there are some simple ways to find out if you’re being tracked at work.
1. Look for Monitoring Software
The most obvious sign that your employer might be monitoring your activity is the presence ofmonitoring softwareon your computer. To check the list of installed programs on a Windows device, right-click theStartbutton and openSettings. Navigate to theAppstab on the left sidebar and go toInstalled appsin the right pane.
To check the list of installed programs on a macOS device, open Finder and go to theApplicationstab on the left.
Then, open System Settings and go toGeneral > About. Then, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click onSystem Report. Then, expand theSoftwarecategory in the left sidebar and selectApplications. Here, you’ll see a list of built-in applications.
If you find monitoring software in the list, your employer can likely monitor your activity. However, do not disable or uninstall these programs as they might be essential software installed by your employer, and removing them could put your job at risk. Also, avoid tampering with any security software or mistaking it for tracking software.
2. Check for Suspicious Connections
If someone is remotely monitoring your activity, they must have a connection to your computer. So,checking for suspicious remote connectionscan help you confirm if you’re being spied on. To check for suspicious connections on Windows, open theCommand Promptapp, type the command “netstat -ano,” and pressEnter.
On macOS, open Terminal, type the command “netstat -an | grep ESTABLISHED,” and pressEnter.
These commands will display all active network connections and their corresponding process IDs.
Look for any unusual or suspicious connections. You can investigate these connections by using their IP addresses in an IP address lookup tool to see if they belong to a company offering monitoring services. This can help you confirm whether your employer is remotely spying on you.
3. Look for Unusual Certificates
Employers can use custom security certificates to decrypt the encrypted data sent from your laptop to other servers, allowing them to monitor any internet traffic. Checking the installed certificates can help confirm if you’re being spied on. On Windows, open the Start menu and type “certmgr.msc” into the search bar. PressEnterto open the Certificate Manager.
Navigate toTrusted Root Certification AuthoritiesandIntermediate Certification Authoritiesto view installed certificates. Look for any certificates that seem suspicious.
On macOS, open Finder, type “Keychain Access” in the search box, and openKeychain Access. In the Keychain Access window, selectSystem RootsorSystemfrom the sidebar andCertificatesorMy Certificatesfrom the tabs at the top. Look through the list of certificates for anything unusual or suspicious.
Check the issuer of these certificates. If they are issued by your employer or monitoring software installed on your device, you’re likely being spied on. Be aware that you shouldn’t delete these certificates, but you may cross-check the owner or author to figure out what might be tracking your activity.
4. Check the Event Viewer and Console Logs
Reviewing the activity logs in Event Viewer and Console can also help you spot signs of monitoring. To check these records on Windows, pressWin+R, type “eventvwr,” and pressEnter. ExpandWindows Logs, selectSecurity, and look forEvent IDs 4624and4625, which representsuccessful and failed login attempts.
If these logins occur after office hours, it’s a potential sign that someone is spying on you. Likewise, check other Event IDs to confirm if you are being tracked. On macOS, you may check these logs from the Console app. PressCommand+Space, type “Console,” and pressEnter. Selectsystem.logfrom the left sidebar and look for suspicious activity.
5. Look for Processes Consuming High Resources
Monitoring software tends to consume high system and network resources. Checking for processes consuming high resources can help pinpoint monitoring software and confirm your suspicions. you’re able to check this from the Task Manager on Windows and theActivity Monitor on macOS.
On Windows, right-click theStartbutton and openTask Manager. Navigate to theDetailstab to view processes in detail.
On macOS, click the Launchpad icon, type “Activity Monitor” in the search bar, and openActivity Monitor. Filter processes that are consuming high system or network resources.
If any process appears suspicious, right-click it and select “Open file location” or “Open in Finder.”
If the process leads you to tracking software, it confirms you’re being monitored. You can also search online using the process name to check its purpose.
6. Check Webcam Activity and Look for Suspicious Extensions
Lastly, you may check when your webcam was last used and by which application. On Windows, go toSettings > Privacy and Security > Camera. Expand theRecent activitymenu, and you’ll see a list of apps that accessed your webcam and the last time they did. If you notice any suspicious activity,you’re likely being monitored through your webcam.
Another obvious sign of monitoring is if you’re using abrowser managed by your organization, and you see monitoring extensions installed on it. You might not be able to uninstall them (and, in many cases, probably shouldn’t try!), but you’ll at least be aware of the monitoring.
What to Do if Your Employer Is Monitoring Your Activity
If you are certain that your employer is monitoring your activity, check whether they have mentioned this in the job agreement you signed. If your agreement or contract outlines employee monitoring, there may be little you can do. Avoid storing personal data on your work device and refrain from using your laptop for non-work-related activities, especially during work hours.
However, if your contract doesn’t mention monitoring, you can gently bring it up with your manager. This will signal your awareness of the situation; if they are willing, they may halt the tracking. Otherwise, just be aware that you’re being tracked all the time.
Hopefully, the signs of monitoring are now clear to you, and you can determine if your employer is monitoring your activity in real-time. If the work laptop you use is owned by your company, there isn’t much you can do, even if your employer is monitoring you. Just avoid using it for anything personal, and you should be fine.
