spymaster,
well, I don't know if I would call it spying in my case since I'm aware of it.
It's called Company Policy...
Every time I start my box at work the first thing, whaaaam in my face:
"(Company name removed)
This is a private system, not for public use. Unauthorized access or use is subject to discipline, criminal and/or civil sanctions. ALL USERS CONSENT TO MONITORING."
Click OK to continue.
Click
Next box pops up:
"YOU ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO HANDLE CLASSIFIED DATA" and some other notes.
Click OK to continue
Click
Then I can start reading my (monitored) mail...
On top of that log files containing hardware- and software-inventory are sent to "The Mothership" on every reboot. OK, so if I don't reboot nothing goes out, right? Wrong, remote reboot... Really doesn't matter, Domain Admins have full remote access anyway. No encrypted files or password protected files allowed for standard users.
The computer equipment is owned by the company and the company can do as they pleases and install whatever they want. Your employer has every right to monitor what happens with their property.
The system which it provides for you is supposed to generate revenue for the company and not to surf the net, download a lot of cr*p compromising system/network security, doing private business etc, etc, etc.
Another side of this is the size of the company. I my case more than 15.000 computers has to be monitored. That's done but there are a couple of things that has to be triggered before someone take a look at the log files. Just imagine how many more people you need to employee if you want a waterproof system… 50% of the population spying on the other 50%...
The legal aspect of this is different in different countries but I think it's OK if you're told what's going on and why.
Wonder if the cell phones and office lines are bugged and if there's a tracking device in my laptop and in my car or maybe it's hidden in the key ring everybody was given for Christmas... paranoia...
Time to put on the tinfoil pyjamas and go to bed. You see, I suspect that the company doctor has put an RFID tag in my body. Oooops, almost forgot my tinfoil hat, in case the tag is in my head...
BTW, my bedroom is built like a Faraday's Cage, full protection against all electronic surveillance unless there's a guy from the FBI lurking under my bed...
B@ckdoor