[joshril]

I work from home over a VPN connection. I bought the computer and I pay for my internet service.

I use the VPN to access my computer at work using a remote desktop. How secure is this? Occasionally, I will close the remote desktop connection but leave my VPN connection on. Can they monitor what I'm doing?

Also, if I minimize my remote desktop, and use my personal Outlook or web-browsers, can this be monitored?

Of course if I use the browser on the remote desktop, I understand that the company can monitor any of that.

I'm just curious how secure I am and if they can read my person emails from my personal email address/browsing if I accidently forget to turn my VPN connection off?

Thanks!

[Stanhope]

I'm not an expert on the subject, but it is very unlikely. It sounds like you work for a pretty big company if they have VPN. I guess there *could* be some way they might be able to install something, maybe spyware or maleware on your computer, but I highly doubt it. Anything you do over the VPN on your work computer is most likely logged and recorded, especially because it's over the internet.

[joshril]

Actually, I work for a tiny company. Less than 50 people.

So, everything is logged when connected using the VPN? I use the VPN to access my remote desktop.

I went to a site that tells your IP address and it was the same whether I was connected to the VPN or not connected to the VPN. Does this mean MY internet connection is independent of the VPN connection?

When I'm on my remote desktop and I access the intertet there, it is of course a differnent IP than mine and it's just like I'm sitting at my desk.

[Stanhope]

No, it is highly unlikely that whatever you do on your computer is recorded while on the VPN, but anything you do on your work computer is probably logged over the VPN.

[JenniferS]

I recently asked the following questions at JustAnswer.com (I paid for it, but I'll share it with you for free...lol) -

If I register for GOTOMYPC.com at my home computer, so that I can access my work computer, will the techs at my work be able to "see" every thing I access from my home computer...

Their response:

Yes, they will be able to see everything you do within your GoToMyPC session just as if you were performing the actions directly from the computer. If your workplace is organized to do a lot of work based out of computers, chances are they have a detailed log of everything accessed by every employee at all times. Using GoToMyPC will not bypass this at all.

Then I asked:

But let's say that I log off of GOTOMYPC. And then log back on to my "favorite" places...will they be able to "see" them at that point?

Their response:

Again, yes. Everything you do using GoToMyPC will be visible to your workplace so long as they have a setup as I mentioned. GoToMyPC allows you to control the computer as if you were sitting in front of it - so yes. Anything you do can be seen by anyone knowledgeable enough to find out how.

Then I asked:

I will be more specific. If I log OUT of gotomypc at my home computer, and then log IN to my IE, or AOL or YAHOO, would my employer STILL be able to "see" sites I visit? Also, while I am logged onto gotomypc at my home computer, would my employer be able to "see" the files I have stored on my home computer?
Their response:

Sorry for that bit of confusion. If you're worried about your employer seeing things you do on your home computer when you have GoToMyPC installed, you won't have to worry about that. The only thing that will be visible to them is what you do using the active GoToMyPC session.

If you close or minimize the session, whatever you do on your home computer is not visible to your employers. Again, they can only see what you do via the logged in session.

---------------------------

Not sure if this relates directly to your question...just thought I'd share it just incase it does.

Big Brother is everywhere...we have to watch our backs! lol

[rhynes]

It really depends on the kind of vpn you're running. How do you connect? For example, the cisco vpn client locks onto a cisco router/firewall and any/all traffic can be force through that connection - internet or otherwise. A little something called split tunnelling comes into effect here.

If split tunnelling is NOT active and you're surfing while connected to a cisco vpn, then yes, all traffic you generate from your home computer can be logged in the office.


That being said, home users running vpn to the office is always a concern. Keep in mind that you are connecting via a secure connection from your home pc, and if you get an infection it can migrate to the corporate network. This is not a good thing. Like it or not, it is possible for big brother to watch what you're doing if you're not careful.

[xzeex]

Don't you know that every employer monitors activity ?
He can just be keylogging you without needing any connection... don't watch porn at work

[lunarlander]

My AT&T VPN has a traffic monitor graph. When I connect to the office servers it shows traffic, when I use IE to browse to google it shows traffic too. So in my case, all traffic is routed to the office gateway; thus they can monitor it.

[Enlighten_30]

Sorry I am a bit late to this post. I work remotely and connect through a cisco vpn box. My work computer is hooked up to this but so are all my home computers. Obviously I never use the work computer to surf as it's not my machine but after work I use my home computers. Does this mean even my home computer internet activity gets logged by the vpn box/employer even though it's none of their business?.
If it does how can I block it. At the moment I have a zone alarm firewall on each computer, does that help in any way. Thanks in advance for your help.

[lyas]

logmein.com works like gotomypc.com .. alot cheaper... and has a feature that shuts down the monitor while you are using it...

[Enlighten_30]

I don't use either of those. Thanks for the advice though.

[Trackerway]

I just wanted to say thank you to Jennifer for sharing the answers relating to GOTOMYPC. Very informative, and I didn't know about that before either! I'm always concerned about my employer seeing my "other surfing" so I'm glad to have read this. Thanks.