Restrictions at Work - Accessing Hotmail

[Shallow Throat]

At work they have recently come down hard on any kind of access to "forbidden" sites. TERB is definitely a no-no, but so is hotmail, yahoo mail, etc. I recently discovered a workaround using a Telus site that can access hotmail. Now that no longer works. Does anyone have any suggestions that will allow me to still access hotmail via some 3rd party solution ?
BTW, I have full access to Workopolis, Monster, etc.. I guess looking to leave the company isn't a real big priority.

 

[freakshow]

Try this its an online version...........



http://webmessenger.msn.com/

 

[a 1 player]

Hey Shallow Throat, sorry to hear your dilemma, but please tread carefully. This is becoming standard in a lot of organizations. I have never surfed at work, but I recently found out that the manager in my company gets a weekly report of all computer users, how much time they spend on the web, and what sites they hit. I personally know a few people who have lost their jobs spending too much tome on the net. Cheers.

 

[Svend]

I think it's a good idea for companies to keep tabs on timewasters. It's not new, people used to discreetly read newspaper, books, find a corner to nap or just take extended breaks and lunches. It adds up to a lot of downtime, often co-workers are angry that they see others slacking off, especially if they are in management positions.
On the other hand, being able to check your email or phone messages at home once or twice a day can help people be happier thus more productive. This shouldn't be abused, however.

 

[WhaWhaWha]

I remember at IBM there were constantly meeting rooms fullof people who did not seem to be conducting meetings. It turned out to be travelling groups of rogue employees sharing meeting rooms and taking turns using the phone for long distance calls. This went on for a decade or so undetected by management and then all at once, we were given five digit access codes. Not only were these people shirking their duties they were stealing long distance. And you wonder why a PC costs thousands of dollars

 

[thewheelman]

There are methods for surfing undetected at work. Here is a link to the most common method. With this method you set an SSH tunnel to your home PC, (high-speed service recommended), where you run a http proxy server. The proxy server redirects your web page requests from your workstation, but all the office sees is your home IP. The SSH tunnel encrypts the data from the workstation to your home and back, so it cannot be read by anyone.

How to surf from work undetected

 

[mmouse]

There are methods for surfing undetected at work. Here is a link to the most common method. With this method you set an SSH tunnel to your home PC, (high-speed service recommended), where you run a http proxy server. The proxy server redirects your web page requests from your workstation, but all the office sees is your home IP. The SSH tunnel encrypts the data from the workstation to your home and back, so it cannot be read by anyone.

How to surf from work undetected

Yes, this is the ultimate way to confound your company's attempts to make you work!
I use Remote Desktop Connection to my home PC and surf through that. I can download huge porn videos all day with not a suspicious byte passing to or from my work computer

 

[Shallow Throat]

I just want to check my email. The main reason they banned hotmail, yahoo, etc is that people were downloading files from their accounts which had viruses.

 

[The Bandit]

I think it's a good idea for companies to keep tabs on timewasters. It's not new, people used to discreetly read newspaper, books, find a corner to nap or just take extended breaks and lunches. It adds up to a lot of downtime, often co-workers are angry that they see others slacking off, especially if they are in management positions.
On the other hand, being able to check your email or phone messages at home once or twice a day can help people be happier thus more productive. This shouldn't be abused, however.

I've said it before....why is checking your email for 2 min. not okay, but having a smoke for 5 min. okay?

 

[a 1 player]

I've said it before....why is checking your email for 2 min. not okay, but having a smoke for 5 min. okay?

The e-mail usually wants to make me kill somebody, the smoke takes that urge away.

 

[ham2004]

You are treading on very thin ice here.

If your company has a polcy against accessing hotmail or any other account, there is a very good chance they have some kind of recording software working to record ip access and site addresses.

A really dumb move is to keep accessing this type of site after you have been warned. I know of several companies that not only fire their employees for this type of activity, but they have also gone to court to recoup wages and or comphensation from the employee for lost time.

Be very careful, big brother is watching...

 

[The Bandit]

because the computers belong to the company and they can make sure the computers are only used for purposes they want it to be used for

WTF...that 5 min you're having a smoke in, is company time too!

 

[goodtime]

Your guys better have good resume ready

Yes, this is the ultimate way to confound your company's attempts to make you work!
I use Remote Desktop Connection to my home PC and surf through that. I can download huge porn videos all day with not a suspicious byte passing to or from my work computer

Your guys better brush up your resume if you think no one will find out.

Companies are looking at software to scan for illegal keywords, few even go as far as keeping a copy of every piece of data that passes their network in & out-bound for later review. To protect company, should anything need to go to court. Its cheaper than buying hefty biz legal insurance.

All part of security survillence against hackers and in-house techies breaking rules, insider trading, planting backdoors, etc.

Several software on market gear toward monitoring these loophole. SSH, RDP, Proxy server, and the likes are doomed.

 

[minnie_me]

Forwarding?

I know that Yahoo and probably Hotmail don't have a forwarding option unless you upgrade to the pay version, but I use to use Eudoramail.com and they have a forwarding option. Not sure if they still do though.

Could forwarding be a way to get some of your personal mail sent to you at the office? I don't work in a large corporate environment so I'm not sure if this is even viable.

 

[mass123]

ahah, I am at work reading TERB and I just came back from a smoke. Just waiting for 12:00 to hit so I can take my 1 and half hour lunch break.

 

[mass123]

This is why you become friends with people in the IT deparment, instead of always bugging them with stupid questions. You get the heads up before any of this put in place and how to work around it.

 

[Keebler Elf]

I've said it before....why is checking your email for 2 min. not okay, but having a smoke for 5 min. okay?

It is okay. But then you get a bunch of wingnuts who abuse the privilege and everyone loses out.

But yeah, it sucks not be able to access email from work.

edit: if you get a Blackberry from work are you still restricted by whatever their network security has in place? (re: email)

 

[Shallow Throat]

In the hotmail account that I need access to, there is nothing that I need to hide (ie. it ain't my shallow_throat account). Unfortunately, I haven't seen any forwarding options in hotmail