Keylogger/History restore

[markprior22]

One of our three employees is the younger brother of a vice president of the company (company has several branches...we are by far the smallest). He can't take even the smallest bit of stress so almost every job responsibility has been taken from him. He basically does about an hour of paperwork a day and sits at the computer typing furiously for the other seven hours.

I want so bad to know what in the hell he is typing all day. He isn't very tech savvy but he does have internet history erased. Is there some type of software out there (very cheap or freeware) that might allow us to see what in the hell he's doing?

[molson]

You're going to tell us when you find out, right? This has potential.

[panerd]

Seems like the risks would seriously outweigh the rewards on this one. Walking by his cubicle/desk a few times randomly seems like it would accomplish what you want to find out without having to secretly get into his computer to install a program, make sure he never figures out it is on there, and then go back to get results and uninstall. Wouldn't you get fired if you got caught doing something like this?

PS: Sorry for trying to be the voice of reason as I would also love to hear the results!

[Chief Rum]

Types furiously? Like he's pounding on the keyboard, all intense like? At work? lol... sounds stressful.

[Logan]

He's probably just posting here.

[molson]

Originally Posted by Logan

He's probably just posting here.

That was my first thought. Or he's just a angry news article commentator.

[cartman]

If you were going to do something like, say network traffic monitoring, a little birdie told me there is software out there that lets you see someone else's web browser on the machine doing the network monitoring.

[markprior22]

I would definitely let you all know. His computer is set up in a manner that makes it very difficult to see what is on the screen. He is a psycho. Very, very anti social, 50 or so...never married, no friends that I know of. He's left here crying before because he just can't take it, etc. He loves to expound on his political views, religious views, all the things that don't end well. We've just gotten to the point where we don't speak to him much at all.

I assume he is commenting on news articles or something like that. A big man behind the keyboard type of guy.

[markprior22]

Originally Posted by molson

That was my first thought. Or he's just a angry news article commentator.

My thoughts exactly

[markprior22]

Originally Posted by cartman

If you were going to do something like, say network traffic monitoring, a little birdie told me there is software out there that lets you see someone else's web browser on the machine doing the network monitoring.

What would that little birdie say if I told it that we don't have a "network." We have standalone machines accessing internet through a wireless router. Would something like that still work?

OK...I've gotta get back to work myself lol Thanks for the replies.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by molson

That was my first thought. Or he's just a angry news article commentator.

Yeah, my first thought was Yahoo news commenter

SI

[Autumn]

Someone's got to provide Yahoo Answers with answers. Are you going to do it?

[gstelmack]

Originally Posted by markprior22

We have standalone machines accessing internet through a wireless router.

That's called a "network"

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

That's called a "network"

[DougW]

[cartman]

For anyone that is interested in network security and monitoring tools, Laura's Lab Kit is a great starting point for learning about and getting freeware/demos. Use your powers for good, not evil.

Chappell University Online Portal

[markprior22]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

That's called a "network"

OK...my point is that our computers are not "connected" through a server or anything like that. It's been quite a while since I've been in the computer field (think Windows 3.2 and DOS). Didn't know for sure what is considered a network.

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by markprior22

He is a psycho.

This may make your decision for you...

[stevew]

The only way I would consider doing this would be if you got the okay from legal and you were looking to actively try to fire him for job performance. Seems like a really bad idea that could screw up your career. That all being said, I bet you could somehow get his browser history(perhaps set it up so that he couldn't delete it?) and just start blocking all the sites he goes to. That might be more fun, watching the reactions.

[molson]

Well, if you know he deletes his browsing history, then you've already been on his computer, right?

[cadmus2166]

I've never put a keylogger on someone else's computer, but I did use one several years back on my own pc when I suspected my ex-wife of having an affair (she was).

[mckerney]

He's probably spending his days writing erotic fan fiction.

[stevew]

He probably writes a blog called "99 Shades of Jay" that deals with conflict revolutions of the non-bitch problems in Sean Carter's life.

[Masked]

If you have admin access to the wireless router, you can probably get a log of the sites he has visited and could block those sites at the router.

[Vince, Pt. II]

Voice of reason: this is an awful idea, and even if you manage to pull it off, the answer is extremely likely to be way less entertaining than even the tamest explanation you've thought of.

Voice of entertainment: I eagerly anticipate the results of this investigation.

[weegeebored]

You could try this solution if you want to spend a little bit of money: KeyGrabber Hardware Keylogger hardware solutions - KeyGrabber Wi-Fi, KeyGrabber USB hardware keyloggers

I am not endorsing this in any way, shape, or form. However, I will be...um...monitoring this thread.

[Danny]

Don't do it, it is a dumb idea. Instead go with the idea of using network admin privileges to find and block the sites he uses.

[markprior22]

Originally Posted by stevew

The only way I would consider doing this would be if you got the okay from legal and you were looking to actively try to fire him for job performance. Seems like a really bad idea that could screw up your career. That all being said, I bet you could somehow get his browser history(perhaps set it up so that he couldn't delete it?) and just start blocking all the sites he goes to. That might be more fun, watching the reactions.

Probably true. I like your idea. Will look into that.

[Marmel]

Mind your own business. Why do you want to screw somebody who has not done a thing to you?

[stevew]

something could be said that a co-worker that plays on the internet all day is actively screwing over the rest of the people in his office.

[markprior22]

Originally Posted by Marmel

Mind your own business. Why do you want to screw somebody who has not done a thing to you?

First of all, I don't want to "screw" him. I just want to know wth he's doing all day that is so intensely important. He contributes absolutely nothing to work and has created his own little niche because he can't handle the smallest amount of stress so any selling/bidding responsibility has been taken from him. It is very poor mgmt but the fact that his brother is a VP makes it difficult for us.

It's a very unique situation...you would have to see it for yourself to understand how frustrating it is. I can poke around on line at slow times but we also have very busy, stressful times (except for him).