KSL INVESTIGATES

Why you should stop using your work computers, phones for personal use

Jun 30, 2022, 6:20 PM | Updated: 10:34 pm

SALT LAKE CITY — Many Utahns are still working from home, spending a lot of time on their work computers. That can make it easy to forget it is not a personal computer. Many of us do blend work and personal stuff, in fact a study finds over half of us use our work devices for personal use, too. But clearing out the browser history is not enough to hide traces of personal browsing, shopping or posting on our work machines. And there are a lot things that can get us in trouble.

Over at Nexus IT Consultants, they handle IT and cybersecurity for scores of Utah businesses. Owner Earl Foote says part of that means monitoring activity on work devices issued to their clients’ employees.

“We deploy technologies that help us monitor activity that’s happening on computers,” Foote said. “Activity that can be malicious, or nefarious, or can cause vulnerabilities.”

So, Foote cautions anyone using their work computers and phones for personal stuff: “It’s definitely a bad idea.”

Reason number one: You are jeopardizing your employer’s security. Say you open a personal email with a link from a friend saying, “Hey, you’ve got to see this!” Turns out, it is really from a hacker and that link infects your work computer with malware or some sort of ransomware.

“It spreads that ransomware across dozens, maybe hundreds or even thousands of computers within a few hours, and locks up the whole the whole entire system,” Foote explained.

That can also put highly sensitive information about your employer, your coworkers, your customers in the wrong hands.

Here is another reason: You are risking your own privacy. Personal stuff like accessing your bank account, checking Gmail, or paying a bill on a work computer can be seen by IT. And while remote, there is always the possibility of an IT insider going rogue with that information.

“This is not super common, but you do have situations sometimes where you have what we call a rogue insider in an internal IT department, who is gathering private data of other team members. They might be stealing information about bank accounts, or they might be getting into their personal Gmail accounts and executing phishing campaigns and things like that,” Foote said. “Those malicious insiders, or rogue insiders, are a real deal.”

Reason three: What you do online can come back to haunt you or get you fired. Whether you are catching up on Ted Lasso, writing the great American novel while on the clock, or spending hours scrolling through social media — IT sees all that. Foote said it is not all about paranoid employers or micromanaging.

“We are constantly looking at what’s going on and how we mitigate risk, right, because that’s our job is to mitigate that risk.”

Foote says using your personal devices on your workplace’s network is just as risky. You can view any website or use any app you want, which opens up the potential for data theft, malware and other security nightmares for any IT department.

KSL 5 TV Live

Top Stories

KSL Investigates

(KSL TV)...
Matt Gephardt

Get Gephardt helps restore West Valley man’s Social Security disability payments

Jeff Davis gets disability payments from the Social Security Administration. At least, he did up until his mom passed away in December.
2 days ago
The Pearsons tell KSL’s Matt Gephardt they should be reimbursed by either the airline or the onli...
Matt Gephardt and Sloan Schrage

Sandy couple Gets Gephardt after booking error left them paying out for pricey return flights

A Sandy couple bought roundtrip tickets to Hawaii, but when they discovered their return tickets were no good, they had to buy pricey replacements. When they were refused reimbursement, they decided to Get Gephardt.
3 days ago
Amy Olsen...
Matt Gephardt

Utahns cleared of DUI accusations are forced to pay to get their licenses back

Amy Olsen has her driving privilege back now, but it cost her $255. For her, it is a frustrating ordeal that began months earlier when a trooper pulled her over.
7 days ago
Gas bill...
Matt Gephardt

Gas company increasing bills for customers on fixed payments plan

If you're told you're going to pay the same price for 12 months, you wouldn't expect the price to go up. But when the natural gas company raised the rates on a Payson woman, she decided to Get Gephardt to investigate.
7 days ago
Follow @KSL5TVLike us on Facebook...
Matt Gephardt

$21 billion in gift cards go unused. Here’s how to avoid letting them go to waste

Gift cards: they are one of the most popular gifts to give and to receive, but that does not necessarily mean they are going to get used.
9 days ago
(KSL TV)...
Matt Gephardt and Sloan Schrage

How to beat the dynamic pricing used by Amazon and many other retailers to pay less

The KSL Investigates team gives you information on how to beat dynamic pricing to get your money's worth and pay less.
10 days ago

Sponsored Articles

Happy diverse college or university students are having fun on their graduation day...
BYU MBA at the Marriott School of Business

How to Choose What MBA Program is Right for You: Take this Quiz Before You Apply!

Wondering what MBA program is right for you? Take this quiz before you apply to see if it will help you meet your goals.
Close up of an offset printing machine during production...
Les Olson IT

Top 7 Reasons to Add a Production Printer to Your Business

Learn about the different digital production printers and how they can help your company save time and money.
vintage photo of lighting showroom featuring chandeliers, lamps, wall lights and mirrors...
Lighting Design

History of Lighting Design | Over 25 Years of Providing Utah With the Latest Trends and Styles

Read about the history of Lighting Design, a family-owned and operated business that paved the way for the lighting industry in Utah.
Fiber Optical cables connected to an optic ports and Network cables connected to ethernet ports...
Brian Huston, CE and Anthony Perkins, BICSI

Why Every Business Needs a Structured Cabling System

A structured cabling system benefits businesses by giving you faster processing speeds and making your network more efficient and reliable.
notebook with password notes highlighted...
PC Laptops

How to Create Strong Passwords You Can Actually Remember

Learn how you can create strong passwords that are actually easy to remember! In a short time you can create new ones in seconds.
house with for rent sign posted...
Chase Harrington, president and COO of Entrata

Top 5 Reasons You May Want to Consider Apartment Life Over Owning a Home

There are many benefits of renting that can be overshadowed by the allure of buying a home. Here are five reasons why renting might be right for you.
Why you should stop using your work computers, phones for personal use