No browsing of websites!

I am working as assistant network internee for a multinational firm. Actually, we have been advised by the management that we should restrict the employees from "browsing unrelated websites during the work hours".

What we did is that we have simply posted a message on each desk that they should not browse unrelated websites during work hours and there will be a netlog maintained. If any agent do browse the unrelated websites, he will be pointed out to the management with the help of the Net Log.

So, the actual question, is it really possible to stop this with a simple note or we have to take some extra measurements? And just for the piece of information what are the methods that the employees can adopt to counter this restriction.

Regards!

The note should be enough to give them the message of when not to browse unrelated web sites but you may have some users that will test the waters to see if there is truly a netlog being created and if it is being looked at. but on the safe side I would have some extra measures planned out if they ever need to be implemented.

DeadAddict, thanks for the prompt reply. Just a clarification required:

* According to your answer, the netlog is fine and there is no way that any agent can bypass it becasue any activity and surfing of the websites will be recorded in the log. The reason I am so curious is that we have a large number of agents who hold Computer Science/Engineering degrees and are quite proficient with computers.

* What should be the extra-measurements that I should implement, just to be on the safer side.

Thanks!

I think it depends on the enviornment. We attempted to restrict user in a healthcare enviornment with just published policies. It was a joke. The worst offenders were physicians. Even though we had policies in place with penalties it just does not work like that in the real world. We implimented a program called WebSense. It works VERY well (although a little pricey) and because it prevents access we don't have to worry about employees browsing where they shouldn't :)

m2

Websense will def. do the job. In fact... I HATE that damn filter.

We use it too... and my boss seems to think that I need to be filtered too.
Thats all fine and well... but I should have access to certain resources which I am denied.

The filter picks up false positives all the time. It really is a pain to request every site that I'm blocked from to be allowed. Especially when there are ppl there that got completely unrestricted web access simply by complaining too much. Doesn't matter how much I complain... still won't take me off. Sometimes I have even gone down to the websense server and gone to the sites I needed from that! LoL nice perks of being a domain admin. :)

So, I've created a couple of workarounds... muhahaha muhahaha

google cache works quite a bit...

Or, use my home PC via VNC over SSH. ;)

I realize that policies are policies... but, sometimes I just need access and can't wait for him to read the email to allow me access.

I would look into a "whitelist". In short, all outgoing traffic is routed through a web proxy maintained within your network, and then send outbound from the web proxy. However, the proxy only allows certain urls/ips beyond it, otherwise it returns an error and disallows the user access to the site.

If it isn't on the whitelist, it can't be visited. Look into something similar to the Squid Webproxy server software.

Thank you all for the much needed information.

We have not placed anykind of group policies because sometimes, due to the nature of the work, some agents need to open some websites. So, you can say that internet surfing is open for them. That is why we have placed a notice on each desk regarding the netlog thing.

And from your replies it seems that netlog itself is sufficient enough to tackle this, unsufficient surfing, problem. Right?

I'm sure your firm uses external resources aswell. You should replace all the keyboards at the firm with the boards that have a microchip built in to the board itself to keep track of all keystrokes in its own log file for that person at the computer time he login in to the time he log out spit the log file to a server secure if (needed) install tripwire so when they like to go to google and type in ASS PORN and think no software is monitoring there system they caught then get fired for web surfing. From what I hear. :D