Do you spend much time at work browsing personal sites, such as shopping or online banking? Do you check your personal email while at work? Not only is this usually against the corporate policies at most companies, you are putting yourself at risk by doing so.
Many people incorrectly assume that they have an expectation of privacy while using “their” computer at work. This can vary from state to state and country to country, but in most places, any activity on company-owned equipment is subject to review and monitoring by the company. This activity can include emails, web traffic, and any documents saved on company equipment.
Aside from the legitimate monitoring that your employer may be performing, there are other reasons why you should avoid using your work computer for personal purposes. Your computer is not an island. In most cases, your computer will be on the same network as a number of your coworkers. Being part of the same network means that one of your coworkers could potentially access data stored on your computer, or capture your web and email traffic as it traverses the network. While this scenario is somewhat unlikely, on many corporate networks there are few controls in place to prevent this, and little to warn you if this is occurring.
Your work computer is intended for just that; work-related activities. Save your personal web browsing and email for times when you are on a trusted computer, such as your home computer. In most cases, your personal information will be far safer there than at work.
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