Basiclly the title, I don’t do anything crazy and I don’t think that IT is really watching (city job). I have admin access to my Mac and can install the desktop app if need be but figured that would be even more obvious. I currently use Firefox for work stuff (no VPN) and Chrome with the Windscribe extension for non-work stuff at work. Thanks!
Depends on how they are monitoring.
It will encrypt the traffic from your browser to the sites you visit and just show up as traffic to the VPN termination point. So they can certainly know you’re using a VPN assuming they have basic network monitoring in place but not he sites you visit.
However if they’ve installed a plugin to your chrome install that could be monitoring what sites you visit. Alternatively they could have installed another level of corporate security on your device. I’m not sure about a Mac but for example on Windows, defender can report odd traffic patterns with details of sites and amount of data transmitted.
FYI: (since I work for the government as a Cyber Security Engineer) at least where I work, we monitor all browser extensions installed as well as Desktop apps. We also started blocking all non whitelisted extensions. So there is a chance they are monitoring what extensions you install and you will have the same issue as installing the desktop app or the fact that it appears like they aren’t blocking extensions means they might not be monitoring as well.
P.S. I know it doesn’t really answer your questions but I’d say the easiest way to achieve what you are trying to do (since I saw your previous comment “so I can reddit away in comfort” is to just use cellular on your phone to browse reddit…
This is why our taxes keep going up…
I have local admin access and installed chrome myself. Seems to be mixed answers when I google, some people are saying the extension is just a proxy.
Thanks for the insight! We are “discouraged” from being on our phones for extended periods of time. At my place they give us a username/password to login that corresponds to our email. We get some standard software like office, etc. We actually installed our own browsers and we have the ability (as local admin) to disable screen sharing (on a Mac). Honestly, I just want to cover my bases in case a manager is out to get me and starts digging up stuff haha.
Lmao! Sorry bro, I really try to be productive and do new things. The management is ridiculous, constantly shooting down good ideas and filling our time with useless paperwork and reports.
Yo, in my work I too need some time to just disconnect. I don’t think is bad to have a little bit of procrastination during work, as long as you remain productive.
Thanks, that makes sense. I guess the extension is pretty much pointless then. What is the use scenario for a proxy like the Windscribe extension?
It double hops. Your PC connects to one end point and your browser to another.
Oh! Thanks for clarifying! So I can reddit away in comfort.
I haven’t sat down and traced the network traffic myself. It’s an extra layer so on some level there is but practically how much extra, no idea?