Why employers monitor their employees’ internet activity?
The majority of employers keep track of their workers’ internet use for a reason. Compliance with security legislation is one rational reason why monitoring is used. These regulations require businesses (mostly financial institutions or government-related organizations) to control all of their internal networks to avoid fraud and hacking, as well as to be able to track down a problem if one arises. Another factor, which may be obsolete in today’s world but remains, is their employees’ lack of confidence. Companies monitor software and internet use, as well as active and idle hours, to determine employee productivity. They keep track of how much time you spend online, what websites you visit, and what files you download, which doesn’t feel safe or private in any situation.
How employers can monitor employee internet activity?
Employee internet activity can be tracked in a variety of ways, one of which is functioning as a man-in-the-middle. The employer’s network can be set up so that all internet traffic is routed through a rogue proxy that can intercept any traffic and read its contents. A network administrator who can access the server either remotely or physically can view all internet traffic on the employer’s network. The router or proxy server may be inside a company building or in the data center. Without a VPN, an employer will serve as a middleman and monitor all internet traffic on the network. On the man-in-the-middle server that the employer owns, all internet activity can be seen – when you connected to what website, did you stream any videos, play a game, or download a file – all is recorded. Companies that do not have an IT department or resources devoted to tracking their employees’ online activities have made contracts with their Internet Service Provider, who serves as a man-in-the-middle and reports on the online activities conducted via the company’s network regularly. IP addresses, link times, websites or files downloaded, and other data are all visible to an ISP. Knowing that your personal data can be monitored and used by your employer makes you feel uneasy, but there is a way to mask your internet surfing at work.
How to hide internet activity from employers?
While your employer will track your internet usage and see which websites you visit, using a VPN is a good way to mask your online activities. When you use a VPN, all of your internet activity is encrypted, and the only information that your boss can see is the IP address of the VPN server and gibberish that is difficult to crack. NordVPN is a VPN that uses the best AES-256 bit encryption. It does not hold any records or personally identifying information, and it protects you from someone attempting to eavesdrop on your communications. The way it works is that when you use a VPN, all of your internet traffic is routed through an encrypted VPN tunnel to the VPN server. This way, the boss and ISP can’t see what websites you visit or what files you download. Using the man-in-the-middle method to see inside the encrypted VPN tube, the employer can only see gibberish details, making it difficult to figure out where you’re trying to communicate online. It just indicates your link to the VPN server’s IP address, rather than your connection to specific websites. With VPN employer can not see what is inside a strongly encrypted VPN tunnel
A VPN hides your online activities from your employer in real-time but you also must take into consideration that your browsing history can be accessible later on your device.
How to bypass administrator rights requirement when installing?
Installing VPN software, especially on a work machine, can necessitate administrator privileges, which you may not have. Fortunately, using a VPN Chrome plugin (which also works for Firefox!) is a simple way to mask your online activities. It is only intended to run on browsers and does not require administrative privileges to install.
How to hide your browsing history from your employer?
A VPN masks your browsing history only on the router or server, keeping your internet activity secret from your boss. You should be aware that browsing history files are stored locally on your computer, and your employer can ask you to show them if they are truly interested. Combining a VPN and an incognito window is the best way to keep your browsing history secret from your boss. When you close an incognito browser, it will erase all of your browsing history files and cookies. Any browser has an incognito window, which is ideal for keeping your browsing history clean at all times.
Does a work VPN expose my home network when working remotely
Many businesses use a VPN to securely access their services from a distance. What do you do if your boss has already built a VPN for you? When you use a work VPN, all of your traffic from that computer is decrypted at the company’s servers, and your employer can see all of the websites you visit. The boss, on the other hand, cannot reach your local home network. All other browsing data on other devices is kept private, however, your ISP will be able to see it. By simply disconnecting from the work VPN, your internet traffic will be routed back to your normal ISP. However, instead of an employer, your ISP now has access to all of your browsing data, and your privacy is compromised.
Best VPNs that would keep things private from your employer
NordVPN
Surfshark
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is one of the most private VPN services available. It was openly audited and found to have no logs. Its server network spans more than 160 locations around the world. This VPN provider uses RAM for all of its servers, in addition to an Internet Kill Switch and best-in-class encryption algorithms. This means that when the server is restarted, all data is removed. This guarantees complete privacy and keeps the employer in the dark. ExpressVPN is excellent for unblocking streaming services and other restricted content in countries where they are available. It completely supports and hides torrenting, and it downloads files at lightning speeds. This VPN service offers applications for all major platforms as well as VPN plugins for Chrome and Firefox. However, administrator privileges are needed to use the extensions because they require a VPN app to function. All ExpressVPN plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
160+ locations and 3000+ servers Strict No-Log policy Unlimited streaming (Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer) Strong military-grade AES 256-bit key encryption Kill Switch, Split tunneling, and RAM-disk servers 30-day money-back guarantee Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux support Fast speeds and reliable connections
Final thoughts
Using a VPN with strong and unbreakable encryption, such as NordVPN, will allow you to keep your online browsing at work private and hidden from your boss. It makes it difficult to see the contents of your internet traffic and covers the websites and files you download from your boss. The easiest way to keep your online habits secret from your boss is to use it in conjunction with an incognito window that deletes your browsing history on your browser until locked.
