Safe Browsing

[catchin_zzz]

FOr the IT guys on the forum...I'm curious if there's anyway to get busted for viewing TERB at work on a work laptop if I first disconnect from the network (unplug the CAT5), tether to the internet through my iPhone and then turn on InPrivate Browsing to browse with IE.

Is this safe?

Is there a better way? aside from simply doing my browsing on my own time.

cz

 

[Zombie]

I'm not super technical, but I can't see how they would be able to monitor your network activity if you were completely separated from the work network. Is it your laptop or the companies?

 

[WoodPeckr]

If you use a company PC/laptop they can monitor everywhere you go if they want to.

 

[nofrill]

This has been discussed just recently HERE

Portable Firefox installed on a USB stick - this way you don`t even need to use any browser on the laptop which can potentially leave traces on the laptop. NOTE: Portable Firefox has cache disabled by default; cookies, browse history etc. are supposed to be temporarily saved on the USB stick.

("Where can I find Portable Firefox?" - google is your friend)

 

[catchin_zzz]

thanks nofrill. I will check it out.

anyone else able to chime in?

cz

 

[Cobster]

lol Catchin. You really wanna be playing naughty just before Christmas? You know Santa checks his list, TWICE!.....right?

 

[Zombie]

on a work laptop

Jesus, my bad. Didn't read close enough.

 

[WoodPeckr]

Laptops or netbooks are very cheap and far safer to use at work for such surfing....

 

[catchin_zzz]

Thanks for the info guys. I know laptops are cheap but it's a matter of convenience. I work in the financial district and it's SO much easier for me to do my terb research at work and head out for a nooner or "meeing" in the afternoon, or even after work.

Cz

 

[larry]

if you're worried about being caught, this has been said before, IT can see everything that goes thru the router. all web addresses, all IPs. and it can be logged forever. if they want you, they have you. if next year they want you, you've given yourself to them. bad idea.

 

[Powershot]

Get a device with a wireless 3g internet connection of its own to use.

 

[Zombie]

Dude, just get a smartphone. They're a tad pricey, but very functional. I do most of my terbing at work on it.

 

[Keebler Elf]

While your work IT department may not know exactly what you are browsing if you take precautions, they are usually aware of these precautions and will know you're up to something. And when IT starts digging, they can usually find out what you're up to.

Countermeasures are good for getting around passive security monitoring but a dedicated IT department worth its salt will be able to find out what you're surfing if they really want to.

Is your job worth the risk?

 

[catchin_zzz]

Zombie, I have an iPhone but it's a pain in the ass to use when browsing terb. It's much easier on a full fledge computer.

larry, I hear what you are saying but I don't think you understand the original post. I'm not using their router at all. I am using the 3G capabilities of my iPhone and connecting to the internet via my cell provider. My concern is that some data might be stored somewhere on the computer even if I am using the "InPrivate" browsing feature. I haven't done it so I'm not at all worried. I just want to know my options.

The Portable Firefox solution looks promising but I need to spend some time to do more research.

CheerZ

 

[Zombie]

Zombie, I have an iPhone but it's a pain in the ass to use when browsing terb. It's much easier on a full fledge computer.

That's true. Especially if you want to type more than a few sentences. No worry of getting caught though.

 

[Anynym]

Given your concerns, why not just pick up a cheap netbook (e.g. BestBuy lists a 10.1" Netbook for $250), tether it to your iPhone, and surf without touching any corporate IT resources?

 

[catchin_zzz]

Given your concerns, why not just pick up a cheap netbook (e.g. BestBuy lists a 10.1" Netbook for $250), tether it to your iPhone, and surf without touching any corporate IT resources?

because that's one less session for me.

 

[nofrill]

Cz:

Just make sure that you only use Portable Firefox and ONLY THAT - remember if you display something like word documents, pdf files, nudie PICTURES, VIDEOS, which open another program installed in the laptop eg. Windows Media Player, that would leave traces in your laptop.

I am also not sure how the Adobe Flash player behaves in Portable Firefox eg. where the cache is or if you can change the cache location etc. Therefore, even watching XVideo or YouPorn may potentially leave traces. I know you can install Flash player directly onto Portable FF, but I cannot guarantee your browser does not use the copy of Flash player already installed on your laptop.

The only sure things which are potentially safe are text and pictures (displayed in your browser).

The more I think about it, the more I worry about it!!!

An ultimate solution is to boot and run an alternative Operating System (OS) eg. a version of Linux such as Knoppix from a USB drive. This will completely bypass the native OS on the laptop. Usually these portable OS already have browsers, video players, picture viewers and OpenOffice for use. They use the RAM or the free space on the USB stick for cache, and it does not use the hard drive of the laptop at all.

However this is quite a hassle, and performance is going to suffer a lot (system response will be limited by the speed of your USB stick, not the CPU not the amount of RAM etc.)

The more I think about it, the better to use your own smartphone (3G or wifi)!! It is probably a safer bet and more convenient!!!

 

[catchin_zzz]

Thanks nofrill. Very helpful and detailed response. Installing another operating system is probably going a bit too far. I think some residual files may still remain on the laptop but i will definitely be more difficult to find. I'm not an expert (obviously). Plus, I'd have to explain why I have another operating system on my laptop. :S

I'm going to try the Portable Firefox solution on my home laptop and then try and see if there are any residual files. Looking at porn is definitely asking for trouble so I definitely won't do that. The only questionable site I would visit is terb. My work is not overly strict on the "time wasting" sites like youtube and twitter. I rarely visit them anyways.

I'm going to try the solution I proposed (tethered iPhone + InPrivate Browsing) on my home laptop as well and see what happens. I thought some of the IT experts or admins in this forum might be able to give a definitive answer.

Using a smartphone is the obvious solution but it takes patience. Plus if you are typing on your smartphone for too long it looks like you're fooling around. If I'm staring at my monitor reading a message board I at least look like I'm doing some work!

CheerZ

 

[Gaston]

Security and anonymity are separate and exclusive of one another. Let's say you work for one of the big banks; if they permit connections outside their network, they may restrict access to certain types of sites. For this example we'll use Hotmail and Yahoo. Typically access to these type of sites are off limits for banks.

Fact: Laptop or desktop - if you are connected to your employers network, they are able to track everything you do... even your keystrokes.
Fact: Loading an application on a USB device does not hide you online activity.

Bottom line: your only solution is to use a network and device that does not belong to your employer.

Don't risk your job.