How common is employee tracking malware in software industry ?

Question

Today was my first day of my first job. I was excited. But, In morning, the employer said join the slack and download "desktime". Desktime is software to track their employee. I join the slack and I also downloaded the software. But, when I tried to run that software. It asks for permission of "super user". Which means Software wants full control on my computer. This is scary. To do a job you have to lose your privcy. I have some personal files in my computer. If I give permission of "super user" to that software. Then that software can do anything.

Answer 1

visph Is your advice based on experience and first hand knowledge? If so, is this based on work in your specific country?

🇮🇳Vivek🇮🇳 If you are employed, your employer should provide your work computer and they are within their rights to monitor activity.

I've personally never heard of a situation where any company ever required monitoring controls like this installed on a personal computer.

It sounds like a very big red flag. But... I'm not in your market and can't say what the norm is.

If it was me, I'd let the company know I'd be happy to install anything they wanted on a computer they provided. Otherwise, I'd inform them that I reserve the right to refuse installing any software requiring super user access on a personal computer.

If the company pushed back... I'd still refuse to install the software and begin looking for another job.

What a bizarre situation. Best of luck to you.

Answer 2

David Carroll based on my bad experience with employers ^^

technically you're right: they should provide you the material to work... but some employrment condition can push you to sign weird contract, where you could accept some weird thing such as using your own material or be responsible for compagny material break ^^

yes, in my specific country, but I guess that it could be the case anywhere ;P

in a good world, that would not happend, but we are not in disney wotld :(

Answer 3

Thanks for answers

Answer 4

I guess you are using windows...
you trust microsoft to do anything with your personal files, why not trust your employer?

if you don't trust enough your employer, then either use a pc without access to your personal files or claim him for a dedicated device ^^

Answer 5

@visph I am linux user. I am on ubuntu 20.04.

second thing is that software is not developed by our company nor employer has access to source code of it.
This is a third party app. It means. If anything will go wrong. I will be responsible for that.

The third thing is why my employer can not trust me. If it is matter of trust. then employer should also trust me. This should not go one way.

I don't have other pc. This is my primmary pc.

Can I ask him for dedicated device ?

Answer 6

For microsoft. They have control on almost everything. github, npm. I use github and does not ask permission for super user or anything like data. I download npm packages from npm registry.
They don't ask permission for super user. I use vscode. But, vscode never wanted the permission of super user to run.

Answer 7

it depends in wich terms of contract you have signed...

if it is specified that you should use your own device, it's hard to claim for a dedicated device :(

however, if not, your employer may badly feel you doesn't trust the software he force you to install: that's up to you to see what you should do ;P

if you don't like what is required by your job, you're free to leave... but at the cost of not be employed / paid by this company ^^

in fact, work life is not as simple as "trust should not go one way"... employer could not trust you, but you must trust him, else he will vire you and employ somebody else... unless you are in strong position, wich is not often the case ;)

Answer 8

visph Oof... That's rough. I've been fortunate enough not to have had to deal with such shenanigans.

Answer 9

David Carroll my work life is made of unlucky, so I probably have more bad experience than other ones ^^

well, maybe also because I always had privileged freedom and artistic goal rather than economical 'normal' way of life... but I clearly lacks of luck and success ;P