System usage tracking?

[LikaNui]

Sorry to bother you wizards with a manini question, but... Can anyone please recommend a program (Windows XP) that tracks what has been accessed on my office computer? I've got a hunch that one of my staff has occasionally messed with it, and I'd like to know where they've been and what they've done.
Thanks in advance, from a non-techie...

[Peshkwe]

Re: System usage tracking?

Are you looking for internal stuff like someone messing in files or projects on the hard drive? Or are you looking for incidences of someone surfing the web or using e-mail on your 'puter without permission?

Or all of it?


Knowing if it's file usage vs web usage that seems to be going on could possibly affect any suggestions given....from ways to search using what XP alone has to other programs that you'd have to install.

If it's any use no matter what it is, you might want to look into some sort of key logger.

Look through this list for PC activity monitoring:

http://www.sofotex.com/download/Secu...ty_Monitoring/


If you need something a little more robust and want to pay for it.. for use on a network or with more tools, look through these:

http://www.softsecurity.com/index.html

http://www.pcacme.com/index.html

http://www.shareup.com/PC_Activity_M...load-3027.html (30 day free trial)

[LikaNui]

Re: System usage tracking?

Are you looking for internal stuff like someone messing in files or projects on the hard drive? Or are you looking for incidences of someone surfing the web or using e-mail on your 'puter without permission?

The first one. Messing in files, maybe printing out confidential info, maybe copying files to disc. Does that strengthen or eliminate any of the ones you gave me? (And thanks for that!)
By the way, the computer is password protected, but unfortunately the password has to be available to several people.

[pzarquon]

Re: System usage tracking?

Wow. Any office environment that requires a password be shared is likely rife with poor security practices. I was going to ask whether the machine is locked down or if you have the ability to install software, but I'm going to guess you can if overall access management is that poor.

There are several avenues you could take... keyloggers, snoopware (of the sort that are sold to spy on a teenager or cheating spouse), network monitoring tools...

But rather than trying to secure a computer in an environment where you're basically trying to plug holes in swiss cheese, I'd just suggest changing your usage of the machine in question. Carry a USB thumb drive with a suite of portable apps installed, and keep all your data, history, and logs to yourself.

Because, of course, everything else you do on the machine is work related, and ultimately owned by the company.

[Peshkwe]

Re: System usage tracking?

The first one. Messing in files, maybe printing out confidential info, maybe copying files to disc. Does that strengthen or eliminate any of the ones you gave me? (And thanks for that!)
By the way, the computer is password protected, but unfortunately the password has to be available to several people.

Do all folders have to be available to all people? You could try pass-protecting folders than the general office populace doesn't need to be messing in.

This one from the set of links I gave you has a 30 day money back guarantee:

http://www.pcacme.com/index.html

Get it try it out, if it meets the need keep it, if not send it back/delete it and try another.

With the number of activity monitoring proggies out there with trial periods you could probably go a few months before actually having to pick one....maybe even figure out who is accessing the 'puter before having to lay out any funds.

[Peshkwe]

Re: System usage tracking?

Hmmm....just another thought, so you find out someone has been accessing and printing confidential docs...

They'd be doing it while you were away from the area, say you can narrow it down to a couple/few people by the time stamp of the activity. Without a visual how are you gonna know exactly who it is?

The pro version from that link says you can remote monitor from another 'puter, is there any one or two in the office you trust enough to do the monitoring and maybe peek out to get a visual while you're away?

[craigwatanabe]

Re: System usage tracking?

A simple way of finding out what was recently viewed is to look at your "Recent Documents" folder.

Hit Start/Recent Documents and viola there it is from documents to photos stored on your hard drive or any drive for that matter.

If you want to see where someone has been on the internet via your computer, simply check your "Temp Internet Files" by double right clicking on the "Start" button and select: Explore/Documents and Settings/Local Settings/Temporary Internet Files. And be amazed at all the websites you and anyone else has visited on your computer. BTW...AdAware doesn't clean out this stuff even though it says it will.

From the Local Settings folder you can also open up your "History" file and see when those sites were visited.

[shaveice]

Re: System usage tracking?

don't know if you need it but here's some more suggestions:

1. have you checked out true crypt?
http://www.truecrypt.org/
one of the things i like about this program is that it's a Free open-source disk encryption software for Windows Vista/XP/2000 and Linux. second, you can create a new drive on your hard drive which will remain invisible until you run the program and type in the password. you can therefore, put all of your sensitive info into that hidden drive.

on the other hand, if the info that you want to protect has to be available to others, you might consider craig's suggestions and add this hidden video camera:
http://www.sharperimage.com/us/en/ca.../sku__SI401SIL

sounds like you're in a tough situation; hope things work out somehow.

[Peshkwe]

Re: System usage tracking?

Just 'cause I'm a curious wench.....

So...wha happened?

[LikaNui]

Re: System usage tracking?

So...wha happened?

I've been in PM contact with a few folks here, and got some excellent suggestions. I'm looking at the various programs.
Thanks to all of you who chipped in with your opinions!

[Peshkwe]

Re: System usage tracking?

How about a review on which one you decide to go with after you play with it a little.

How easy or hard it is to figure out the data, the setting up process...all that kind of stuff. That way in case anyone else might need to get something like it, they have a little bit of a consumer viewpoint to go by.