Question For Tech Peeps Out There

So I've been talking to a friend tonight who logs onto SL from their own personal laptop ... while they are work... via the wireless connection that work provides.

This is the question that came up... would anyone from work be able to see what is on their SL screen? Or are they safe because it's a wireless connection?

Thanks!

Anything that passes through the workplace's gateway router (its connection to the Internet) can be (and, for liability reasons in most workplaces, *should* be) monitored. The SL viewer traffic is (mostly) unencrypted, so that monitoring would be easy. (If it *were* encrypted, the friend should expect a visit from the workplace's security officer to find out what corporate secrets are being sent out.)

The wireless connection only encypts (if at all) the traffic between the PC's wireless card and the WiFi access point; everything behind that access point is wide open.

well if its a work machine ..... and a work interenet connection, then essentially the options are endless

1. Remote Desktop Connection
2. VNC
3. Port Sniffing (for the SL port traffic)

Whats more important is .... should you be playing SL at work and if not are you preapred to get into trouble if its against company policy.

Im the network manager at my company and im sort of glad that the company has the SL ports blocked or i would NEVER get any work done.

Marty

They are on their own personal laptop that they purchased... not company issued.

As for if they should be on SL during work hours or not... it's not for me to be judge and jury... just thought I would help them out by posting here and seeking information.

It would all depend on the companies policy and what is allowed on their wireless network.

Better to ask and be safe, than to be sorry....

Are they worried that they will be caught using SL? Or are they worried that someone can see *what* they are doing in SL.

With considerable time, effort, and know-how, a local system admin could probably steal a look at what is on their screen, but it wouldn't be easy. Simpler would be to sneak up behind your (ahem) friend.

Regardless of whether the laptop is hers or the company's, she's still using the company's wireless network. The company has every right to monitor it. Whether they do is another question.

The amount of network traffic that SL generates alone probably already having the network staff looking to see who is using all the bandwidth. Even though the equipment is personal the network use will still have to fall within company guidelines.

Dearly Darlings,

Maneo would fire any one here on his time. No porn, no shopping...and alas no SL!

Ever Yours,

Mrs. Showdog Tiger