Hi, I recently found out that work will be directing DNS entries for all messenger program servers (ex:159.76.178.31 messenger.hotmail.com) to an internal network appliance. I suspect that they will be doing this to scan our chat logs. I personally find this a violation of my personal privacy, but since this is the direction the company has taken I can't do anything about it. I use Trillian which is a multi IM medium messenger chat program. Is there any way to work around this so that I dont get my messenger traffic directed through the internal network appliance? Thanks for your help in advance!

Most programs will allow you to use a proxy but if your company desides to capture all packets and scan for a certain service you will still get caugh.

Let me see if I got this right. Your employer, who is sick and tired of paying people while they conduct personal business on company time, is going to take steps to prevent it and you think this is an invasion of your privacy?

I would understand that if he was using messenger all day and not doing jack, but as a normal user (which I’m guessing he is) using messenger is like talking to your co-workers. What now your going to pass a "not talking" during work hours rule? What really matters is if you do your job or not. Who cares if you talk on the phone or through the net. Did you get your job done? Well that’s what you’re paid for. Your not paid to be a slave.

I'm a normal user and I do my job. I put in 60-80 hour work weeks on monthly salary with no overtime. If anything the company owes me. I just don't like the fact that work feels the need to know what I'm chatting about. The example of talking to your co-workers is a perfect example. They're going to start putting in recorders and record ppl's conversations while they are at work?

Back to the topic at hand. Would it be sufficient if I make entries in my hosts file to point to the original IPs for the different messenger servers thus bypassing my company's DNS servers and resolving it directly. This along with the use of a proxy, would it be enough to keep my IMs from prying eyes?

You have absolutely no idea what he's doing unless you are him? But, when he is on company time, using company equipment, company electricity, etc., everything he does or doesn't do belongs to the people that are paying him. The job is rarely ever done, and again, while you are being paid as an employee you are on the job.

Don't like it, quit.


You perhaps do your job, we only have your word for it. The company owes you nothing and like I said above, if you don't like it you should quit.

On the subject of talking to co-workers, you only have a right (while on the job) to discuss necessary business at hand ... nothing personal except on your own time and not at company expense.