Considering the unlimited amount of applications which people now use computers for, computer and information security is now one of the most important aspects to consider when trying to keep your information safe.
Do you know what to do if your computer is stolen? Did you know that it is now possible to retrieve your sensitive information from a stolen computer and lock it down remotely so that the thief cannot access it?
With today’s technology, you can even track your computer’s location, access the webcam remotely to take sly snapshots of the thief and integrate all gathered information into a police report.
Have you ever worried that your teenager’s computer activities are inappropriate or unsafe? How would you like to be able to peek in on their computer activities without them knowing?
With computer monitoring software, this is now possible. You could even use it to find out if your spouse is being unfaithful to you.
Are you a business owner who is worried that your employees are spending too much time surfing the web during work hours? Are there numerous opportunities for your employees to commit fraud working within your company?
Then maybe you should consider corporate computer monitoring software which can track and monitor your employees’ computer activities while they are on the clock.
If you answered “Yes” to any of the previous questions, then you should continue reading to find out more about your computer monitoring software options.
Table of Contents
What Is Computer Monitoring Software?
Computer monitoring software is a very versatile software concept which can be applied in a variety of applications. This software encompasses a wide variety of programs which are designed for various aspects of remotely monitoring computers. Monitoring software is mainly categorized as surveillance and security software. It can be installed on both individual systems and business networks.
Computer monitoring software may be designed and used as a standalone program, or as part of another program. This software can be incorporated into firewall hardware/software, antivirus programs or information security software.
Due to the continually growing number of internet capable devices, some new computer monitoring software versions can also be integrated into multiple devices. For example, a corporate CEO may choose to utilize computer monitoring software to protect his personal and business information which is stored on multiple devices, such as a smartphone, PDA, laptop, work computer, tablet and more.
What Does It Do?
Computer monitoring software, also known as surveillance software or PC tracking software, provides a solution for those who need to supervise and monitor the activities and processes which are done on a computer. This software is generally designed to record and log all incoming/outgoing traffic on a network. It also records and tracks all of a user’s interactions and processes, as well as activities on applications.
This software is built to use specific formulas and rules to decide what system states and activities are normal. They may also use events, preferences and signatures to decide what constitutes a normal or abnormal system state.
In laymen’s terms, this type of software works secretly in the background of the computer without the user knowing. It records what applications are used, what is done on them and how long they are in use. It records and logs websites visited, chat messages, and much more. Many monitoring applications can even take screenshots, secretly, which show what the user was doing at a specific time.
What Is It Used For?
1.) Family Computer Surveillance:
One of the most common applications of computer monitoring software is by parents who wish to monitor and supervise their children’s online computer activities. With the vastness of the World Wide Web and the advancements in technology, it is more important than ever before to ensure that children are practicing safe and appropriate online activities. A parent who is able to monitor the family computer, even when they are away from home, can ensure that their children are safe from predators and many other dangers which lurk in cyberspace.
Another popular use for computer monitoring software is for people to use it to monitor their spouse or significant other. With the rising divorce and infidelity rates coinciding with the rise of social and dating networks, many people have used this type of software to find out whether or not their spouse is cheating on them.
2.) Business Computer Surveillance:
One of the most effective uses of computer surveillance software has been by businesses/corporations to monitor their employee’s activities and productivity. This has allowed many businesses to eliminate idle or unproductive employees. A business may also use the information gathered to analyze employee production and implement new productive working policies. In a business where employees regularly have access to sensitive information, this software could also help ensure that employees do not commit any form of fraud using this information on the business computer.
3.) Computer & Information Security:
One of the most recent, and popular, applications for computer monitoring software is the protection of sensitive data from theft. These new computer monitoring software applications can help protect the owner’s personal and financial information, retrieve a stolen computer and it can even help catch and prosecute the thief.
These types of computer monitoring applications can be installed and later access remotely by the owner in the event of a stolen computer. The owner may then retrieve and lockdown all of their personal, sensitive information on a stolen computer by remote access.
Many of these programs also track the computer’s GPS location whenever it is in use, to assist in the retrieval of a stolen computer. In some cases, the program can slyly take pictures of the thief when they are using the stolen computer by utilizing the computer’s webcam. Some of these programs are even capable of organizing the gathered information into an informative police report for the purposes of catching and prosecuting the computer thief and retrieving the stolen computer.
For more information on computer monitoring software, check out:
- Tech Corner — Monitoring Your Child’s Access To Online Content
- How To Monitor Your Employees’ PC Without Going Too Far
- How To Keep Your Personal Information Secure
About the Author:This Post is written by Alia Anderson. She has been designing and developing computer tracking and monitoring software for over 10 years. He has published many reports regarding the effective uses of PC tracking software and its implementation. He has also published several reports which address the controversial issues of personal privacy in regards to computer surveillance software.
Be the first to write a comment.