The Beginner’s Guide To User Activity Monitoring Software: Part 2

By TechDogs Editorial Team

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Overview

We're all trying to find that silver bullet when it comes to data breaches. The eureka moment, when we spin the leather chair around to be confronted by our nemesis stroking a fluffy, white cat. When we finally pull the mask off the villains who have been terrorizing us, forcing them to shake a fist and curse, " and I would have got away with it too, if it wasn't for you pesky kids !" The good news is that just one group is responsible for 70% of all data breaches. Who are these super villains and their nefarious ways? In this article we talk about why you need User Activity Monitoring (UAM) Software, how it works, best practices for use - and why you should be more cautious the next time the boss emails you.

As a kid, did you ever pretend to be a friend's parent and call in sick for them and then your friend would do the same for you and you'd both play hooky? No? No. Neither did we.

Anyway *ahem* if you were to have done that, what's the likelihood the school would have believed you? Probably slim to none. To think of it, who would be silly enough to fall for someone pretending to be someone else?

Let's ask Snapchat. Can we take a moment to feel sorry for the poor person who answered the email from who they thought was Chief Executive Officer (CEO) - Evan Speigel? "Mr. Speigel" asked for the personal information of 700 employees and what the CEO wants, the CEO gets. Except - shock - it wasn't Mr. Speigel. It was someone pretending to be him.

This breach may never have happened if Snapchat had had User Activity Monitoring (UAM) Software in place.

In Part 1 of our Beginner's Guide to User Activity Monitoring Software, we discussed, what is UAM Software, how it works, where did it come from, etc. In Part 2, we unveil its importance, benefits and its next steps. Let us dive in, shall we?

Why Is User Activity Monitoring Software Important?

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We're all trying to find that silver bullet when it comes to data breaches, right? That moment of invincibility, when we spin the leather chair around only to be confronted by our nemesis and a fluffy, white cat; when we pull off the mask of the villains who have been terrorizing us, forcing them to shake a fist and curse, "we would have got away with it too, if it wasn't for you pesky kids!" The good news is that just one group is responsible for 70% of all data breaches.

Who are these super villains and their nefarious ways?

It's your team. More than two-thirds of all data breaches come from inside an organization. It's not always intentional but the stark reality is that the greatest threat is already inside your network. What kind of dire things can your organizational end-users possibly be doing? Most of the time, it's pretty meh. Nothing exciting but in every way risky.

They get bored and surf social media, opening you up to malware risk. They become comfortable, complacent and a little bit sloppy. Sometimes, they don't even work for your organization. Think of your third-party partners and contractors. Are their security measures as robust as yours?

Other times, your end-users act with intent. Their data breach is deliberate.

You can't know where the breach or issue will come from. You don't have the power to be everywhere, all the time. Even if you had a 100-strong tech support team, you still couldn't be everywhere all the time. Plus, have you ever seen 100 tech support people in one place? Within 10 minutes, they're arguing about operating systems and firewalls.

Think of your end-users as wide receivers for the opposite team (for our less sporty friends, wide receivers are those brawny NFL {National Football League} athletes who run like the wind with the ball). You’d never go into a game facing hundreds of wide receivers and have no DEFENCE, right? User Activity Monitoring Software is your cornerback. It prevents your end-users from taking an inch and running with it.

What Are The Benefits Of Using User Activity Monitoring Software?

Of course, you want to know if your employees are conducting corporate espionage. Fortunately, User Activity Monitoring Software with time tracking feature helps you identify, log and act upon those types of behaviors in real -time. However, there are other business benefits too.

Have you ever woken up early on a Sunday morning intending to blitz your chores? However, when it gets to 9 pm and all you've done all day is sit on the couch eating M&Ms and watching reruns of F.R.I.E.N.D.S? Same. There's no mystery to how it happened. Target had a BOGO (Buy One Get One) offer; the couch was cozy and you clicked "Yes" each time Netflix asked if you were still watching.

How about those days where you've been sitting at your computer for hours and achieved nothing? What have you been doing all day? This is just one of the questions organizations answer with User Activity Monitoring Software - what are their employees doing? This isn't as Big Brother as it sounds.

Okay, maybe it is but there is a point to it.

Understanding how your employees spend their time with employee monitoring software while at work is a win-win.

What are the processes that hold your team up and prevent them from being productive and motivated? How are they getting on with their personal development programs? How can you ensure that company applications are used appropriately?

Answering these questions is essential to your organization's growth and everyone - from CEOs to HRs to line managers - stands to benefit. Check out some of the providers out there such as Teramind, Hubstaff, SentryPC, ActivTrak and plenty more. See what each provider's employee tracking tools do and if they deliver what you need.

Not all solutions tick all the boxes, so shop around and find the shoe that fits your organization's soul.

What Is User Activity Monitoring Best Practice?

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UAM is a touchy subject. Many people don't like being watched. For some, it's the principle. Others? Well, they're up to no good. Regardless of internal feelings around employee activity monitoring, it's the right thing to do to keep your organization's sensitive data secure. To gain all the brownie points, you can follow user behavior to best practices to ease the pain.

The first rule of UAM: Be transparent.

The second rule of UAM: Be transparent.

Be clear about the workplace track user activity policy regarding business property and non-work-related phone and computer use. Talk about it; make it part of your culture; encourage your team to ask questions and help train each other on it. Consider including a clause in employment contracts so new team members are engaged and informed from the start with an employee monitoring tool. Remember, most employee monitoring lawsuits are filed because the employees didn't know they were being monitored.

Establishing a culture of User Activity Monitoring isn't all that hard, actually. Mostly, it involves common sense and trust on user behavior analytics. Here are some top tips that you can start doing right now.

No one needs unlimited access. Not even your CEO. Yes, you can denote users pc activity privileges but giving someone more access than they need creates a chink in your infrastructure armor.

We all love a strong password, don't we? Not. We hate them because we forget them. So, we make our passwords easy to remember - and hence, easy to guess. If you know Janice in accounting, her dog's name and her wedding anniversary, you're golden. Instead, introduce organizational password rules and guidelines, password expiry dates and even single sign-on solutions.

Be considerate of confidential information - yes, you can monitor your employee's emails. No, you can't make public what you find unless necessary to a legal situation.

What's the wire-tapping regulation in your state? If you don't know, get to know it. In many states, it's against the law to record conversation audio - including audio collected through computers and phones.

Make it clear that activity monitoring is a standard employee productivity activity for a remote worker within the organization's security processes. Everyone is monitored, no exception.

Finally — did we mention ‘be transparent’?

What Is The Future Of User Activity Monitoring?

TechDogs-The Future Of User Activity Monitoring-Business Professional Pondering Over The "Future Of User Activity Monitoring Software"

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New technologies with computer monitoring software allow for more internal threats. Let's think about the remote employee shared intranets and employee instant messaging systems designed to boost productivity and communication for data loss prevention, the AI (Artificial Intelligence) tools that transcribe meeting notes and the centralized reports everyone work examiner uses. That's more chances for exposure than an episode of Real Housewives.

We won’t (and shouldn’t) stop innovating but our security measures must keep up.

In the future with computer activity, we'll also have the ability to receive user actions alerts when we need to take a screen break or have worked more than a recommended number of hours in a week. A team member or employee behavior showing signs of boredom or lacking motivation could be flagged as a potential flight risk. We would be able to see which teams are getting the most attention from senior team leaders and which are ignored or neglected, which could mean they're both a flight and security risk. You have an opportunity to improve your team's happiness levels.

How wonderful!

The big elephant in the room is Facial Recognition Technology. For an organization, this is essential for knowing who is on-site, where they are, whom they're meeting with and what they're doing. This type of identification keeps intellectual property, data and team members safe. Nonetheless, many people don't like it. The same goes for biometric security. Is it too invasive?

The reality is that facial recognition and biometric technologies are here - the question is, how mainstream will they become in the future?

The T (words)

Ultimately, User Activity Monitoring begins and ends with trust. If you adopt UAM Software on the sole basis that you don't trust your team, maybe you need a new team. Likewise, your team must be aware you're remote monitoring them and able to trust that you're using UAM Software for all the right reasons - not to trick them, not to spy on them but for the good of all. As Harvard Business School professor and businessman Bill George said, "Be transparent with your team, even when the truth may be unpopular or inconvenient." User Activity Monitoring all boils down to trust and transparency and that's the T (words).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the importance of User Activity Monitoring Software?

User Activity Monitoring (UAM) Software is crucial for organizations to maintain security and prevent data breaches. A significant portion of data breaches, approximately 70%, originates from within organizations. Whether intentional or unintentional, employees pose a substantial threat to data security. UAM Software helps in identifying risky behaviors in real-time, whether it's employees engaging in corporate espionage or simply being careless with sensitive information. By monitoring user activities, organizations can detect and mitigate potential threats effectively, ensuring the security of their data and systems.

What are the benefits of implementing User Activity Monitoring Software?

Aside from enhancing security, User Activity Monitoring Software offers various business benefits. It provides insights into how employees utilize their time at work, helping organizations understand productivity levels and identify areas for improvement. By tracking employee activities, organizations can optimize workflows, address inefficiencies, and ensure compliance with company policies. Additionally, UAM Software facilitates the monitoring of third-party partners and contractors, ensuring that they adhere to security protocols. Overall, implementing UAM Software leads to improved productivity, enhanced security, and better regulatory compliance.

What are the best practices for implementing User Activity Monitoring?

Implementing User Activity Monitoring requires a balance between security and respecting employees' privacy. Transparency is key to successful implementation. Organizations should clearly communicate their user activity monitoring policies to employees and make it a part of their organizational culture. This includes discussing monitoring practices, encouraging open dialogue, and providing training on acceptable use. Additionally, organizations should limit user access privileges, enforce password policies, and handle confidential information responsibly. It's essential to comply with relevant regulations and ensure that monitoring practices are lawful and ethical. By fostering a culture of transparency and trust, organizations can effectively implement User Activity Monitoring while respecting employees' rights and maintaining a secure work environment.

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