Question about gaming on work laptop

[NemoXX7]

So I am looking for some opinions, I have a high spec laptop given to me by work, I use a VPN to connect to the work network but am free to browse the internet normally when not using the VPN and connected to my own home network.

My question is, if I have my own external SSD and I boot to that on the laptop, then play games and whatnot, then when it is disconnected boot to the normal work hard drive and work as normally, does my internal IT department have any way of tracking that? i.e. would they be able to see I am using the device with a different hard drive to play games?

I have thought about it and apart from the cache and CPU processes (which should be overwritten) I don't see a way it would leave any trace...

 

[WazzyD]

With the physical device in your possession the skies the limit....but if you can boot into another SSD with a personal OS etc then they shouldn't be able to trace it. I've never seen a company try implement boot logging through firmware on employee laptops.

 

[Toxxyc]

It depends on what's installed on the laptop. If company policy says no, though, I'd highly advise against it. You can be dismissed (fired) if you're caught.

I've been at a few companies now, all giving me decent machines. One of the companies had a strict "hell no" policy, even capturing activity for the entire duration that the screen of the laptop is switched on. You also couldn't access BIOS or anything, and that machine was locked up tight.

One company didn't give a crap, and all they said was to "please keep pirated movies and stuff off the company servers".

The last one was a bit in between. Like they prohibited it, but they also didn't do much about it.

 

[goldfritter]

It depends on what's installed on the laptop. If company policy says no, though, I'd highly advise against it. You can be dismissed (fired) if you're caught.

I've been at a few companies now, all giving me decent machines. One of the companies had a strict "hell no" policy, even capturing activity for the entire duration that the screen of the laptop is switched on. You also couldn't access BIOS or anything, and that machine was locked up tight.

One company didn't give a crap, and all they said was to "please keep pirated movies and stuff off the company servers".

The last one was a bit in between. Like they prohibited it, but they also didn't do much about it.

I was going to say @OP, your main challenge would probably be to get it booting from an external drive in the first place. There's also the risk of messing something up in BIOS or formatting the main drive, which would be fun to explain to IT.

If it's prohibited in your IT policy then you have to weigh up the risks carefully.

 

[pɐlΛ‾pɐq‾ƃᴉq]

So I am looking for some opinions, I have a high spec laptop given to me by work, I use a VPN to connect to the work network but am free to browse the internet normally when not using the VPN and connected to my own home network.

My question is, if I have my own external SSD and I boot to that on the laptop, then play games and whatnot, then when it is disconnected boot to the normal work hard drive and work as normally, does my internal IT department have any way of tracking that? i.e. would they be able to see I am using the device with a different hard drive to play games?

I have thought about it and apart from the cache and CPU processes (which should be overwritten) I don't see a way it would leave any trace...

Let me guess....


Market related salary based on experience vibes

 

[NemoXX7]

Let me guess....


Market related salary based on experience vibes

So I sold my personal laptop but kept the SSD intact so I can still access all my files and even settings if I use it as the boot drive. @goldfritter has me worried now about corrupting/ wiping the CMOS memory or BIOS settings so I am definitely leaning towards the CUD option and just buying another device

 

[pɐlΛ‾pɐq‾ƃᴉq]

So I sold my personal laptop but kept the SSD intact so I can still access all my files and even settings if I use it as the boot drive. @goldfritter has me worried now about corrupting/ wiping the CMOS memory or BIOS settings so I am definitely leaning towards the CUD option and just buying another device

It really isn't a good idea.

 

[NI∀ƆOƆ‾⊥ᴚ∩ʞ]

So I sold my personal laptop but kept the SSD intact so I can still access all my files and even settings if I use it as the boot drive. @goldfritter has me worried now about corrupting/ wiping the CMOS memory or BIOS settings so I am definitely leaning towards the CUD option and just buying another device

Get yourself an Ally, later a screen and what not.

 

[NemoXX7]

It really isn't a good idea.

I'm assuming you mean using the work laptop for that purpose, I am getting the feeling this is the majority vote here

 

[pɐlΛ‾pɐq‾ƃᴉq]

I'm assuming you mean using the work laptop for that purpose, I am getting the feeling this is the majority vote here

Yes..

Also consider it from the perspective of IT.... They are already dealing with people who think it's acceptable to write full emails in the subject field.

 

[Switch]

As to the original question, yes it is possible to track what you're doing depending on the bios. Some of them have logging that allows tracking everything that happens, like adding and removing devices, which device was booted, etc, and especially on workstation type laptops that have cpu supporting intel vpro or amd equivalent, those technologies go one step up and provide remote management including kvm, so they can literally screen share to see and control what you're doing irrespective of hdd/ssd you used to boot.

Tips for Supporting Your Colleagues Working Remotely

Intel® Active Management Technology (Intel® AMT) equips IT for comprehensive computer device management, enabling remote monitoring and management utilizing the same infrastructure across platforms.

www.intel.com

 

[Rickster]

How can a person "accidently" clear the bios, kak man, plug in your external, hold F9 and choose the external to boot from. Easy as that.

 

[NemoXX7]

As to the original question, yes it is possible to track what you're doing depending on the bios. Some of them have logging that allows tracking everything that happens, like adding and removing devices, which device was booted, etc, and especially on workstation type laptops that have cpu supporting intel vpro or amd equivalent, those technologies go one step up and provide remote management including kvm, so they can literally screen share to see and control what you're doing irrespective of hdd/ssd you used to boot.

Tips for Supporting Your Colleagues Working Remotely

Intel® Active Management Technology (Intel® AMT) equips IT for comprehensive computer device management, enabling remote monitoring and management utilizing the same infrastructure across platforms.

www.intel.com

Literally have an intel vPro i7....duly noted

 

[NemoXX7]

How can a person "accidently" clear the bios, kak man, plug in your external, hold F9 and choose the external to boot from. Easy as that.

This is what I thought yesterday, but its not worth losing my job over

 

[moedeez]

Literally have an intel vPro i7....duly noted

Even me
I think they can only connect if your pc is on the network, that would include via VPN:


Every Intel AMT enabled PC has a web server running on port 16992 and/or 16993 (https).
Just point your web browser to:
"http://'Intel-AMT-enabled-host':16992 "

or

"https://'Intel-AMT-enabled-host':16993"

Try those, when I connect to my ip port 16992 I get the following "Web browser access to Intel® Active Management Technology is disabled on this computer, or the page in the address bar is unavailable."

 

[NemoXX7]

Even me
I think they can only connect if your pc is on the network, that would include via VPN:


Every Intel AMT enabled PC has a web server running on port 16992 and/or 16993 (https).
Just point your web browser to:
"http://'Intel-AMT-enabled-host':16992 "

or

"https://'Intel-AMT-enabled-host':16993"

Try those, when I connect to my ip port 16992 I get the following "Web browser access to Intel® Active Management Technology is disabled on this computer, or the page in the address bar is unavailable."

So if it is disabled that means there is no active monitoring? I work for a large international firm though, odds are there is monitoring in place

 

[moedeez]

So if it is disabled that means there is no active monitoring

No I don't believe so, I believe it just means they can't KVM you agnostic of the OS.

 

[goldfritter]

How can a person "accidently" clear the bios, kak man, plug in your external, hold F9 and choose the external to boot from. Easy as that.

Lol you'll hold his hand at the disciplinary hearing, then?

 

[Trompie67]

This entire thread is a cover / hoax.

What OP really meant was: Is it safe to watch my favourite midget/witch/*insert your fetish here* porn that's on my external drive using my work laptop?

 

[Scrooloose]

Even if the company was cool with it at first, they can turn around at any time and then that relationship will become soured.

Don't do it. Keep your work and private lives separated. Game on your own hardware.