Can an email sent on a work computer via personal email be read by the person who manages the server?

Question

I know all electronic activity is recorded on the server but can someone go into the server and access personal email or say bank accounts?

Answer 1

Rachel ... Yes, it IS possible. If you used your work-based e-mail program, administrators have full access to your company's mail server.

Now, you might ask this: "Well, but I didn't use my office's mail server. I logged into my Yahoo, Google, or other e-mail and sent the message using THEIR server."

However, even in this case, it still may be possible your mail can be monitored. Some employers, especially those with tight security, can monitor the traffic coming from the computer of an employee who's suspected of using their work computer for improper purposes. However, in addition to that, they may have key-logger software installed that records every keystroke you make.

Is it likely that most employers go to that extreme? In most cases, probably not. But if you work for a company with valuable corporate proprietary information or if you work for the Defense Department or another branch of the federal government, then the likelihood is much, much greater.

The safe solution is this: If it's not work-related or if you wouldn't want others to see what you're doing, then don't do it at work.

One of the answers you received acknowledges that your activity can be monitored, but the answer states it's unethical. However, the shoe is on the other foot. Most people as well as the law would say that if it's your employer's computer system, your use of the system for personal reasons is the unethical part, not their monitoring activities. Your employer actually has a civil obligation to ensure the company's systems are not being used for illicit purposes lest they be accused of facilitating the illicit activity.

Does my advice sound like I'm going overboard? Look at my link, below. For further info, check each function/technique name you see listed.

Good luck, Rachel.

Answer 2

Yeah, thats the point in having a network administrator.

Then the question becomes - can you trust them?

If you e-mail your bank account # they could probably get it, but unless they had some hacking skills they probably wouldn't be able to get anything from electronic transactions done on your banks website.

If they (or anyone) really wanted to know what you are doing though they would install a keylogger - and they could see everything you typed (it would be kinda garbled, but EVERYTHING you typed would be there in a text file).

I guess it's just like anything else - you have just as much chance of having your home computer hacked as having an evil network administrator...

Answer 3

Yes! An administartor can view anything, although it is very unethical. There are privacy issues that they need to adhere to to remain ethically sound. Admins can also take control of your folders/files, but not unknowinly. If you admin says that something happened with your password and we had to reset it, or it mysteriously doesn't work anymore, that would be a sign that somebody invaded your privacy. There are also FREE programs that will extract your email account passwords and almost any password that has been types on your computer from the registry. That's why you should NEVER allow Windows to remember passwords.

Answer 4

It depends on the server security...
as u have seen on movies, access to secure servers to get info, can only be made phisically.
I mean, just the admin can decript the info and get the data. but sometimes, logs as keystrokes, or packages sent by the network can't be easily decripted.

the mails can be easily seen by the server, just if they are managed by a mail client/server program.

Answer 5

Yes

Answer 6

So far as I know, the employer owns the computers and is entitled to see to what use they are being put. He also wants to know who is working his hours and who is doing personal business on his time.

If you are lucky enough to have a job, better conduct personal business at home.

Answer 7

Theoretically, yes.