Office laptop... Can I get caught if I do this?

[xlonewolfx456]

So...

They've given me a HP Elitebook 840 G3. It specs are as follows:
i7 6600U
DDR4 8GB
Don't know the clock speeds yet.
It has a 512GB SSD as internal storage
and.. windows 10 pro

Well, they've mentioned that laptop shouldn't be used for personal purposes like downloading images or music or applications that have no potential use at the work place or at home.
They have also specified that every website or application I install will be logged and monitored by the IT department of the company.
Over that they are very keen to keep their data confidential and out of any kind of public exposure and don't allow use of unauthorized usb devices and have locked the usb ports from use. They said they'll know if we plug a usb device and they've also said that data can't be transferred from laptop to the usb devices unless we get he usb device authorized by the IT department first.

They claim to have a customized and tailored windows OS for their company so that they can keep their data safe and monitor their employees

Hehe and this has started to itch that part of my mind lol
I absolutely mean no harm but I'm curious.

Monitoring the laptops is limited to OS right?
What if I disable the SSD from the BIOS(so that their data is unharmed) and install windows on a usb stick or an external hard drive to use it as a portable windows installation so that I can boot it and use it for personal purposes like YouTube, Play music and games on my home network ?

Will I get caught?

 

[DSzymborski]

Given that you're asking us how to circumvent security on hardware that you admit you only have the right to use under specific terms that you're admitting to wishing to violate, I don't see how anyone here can help you, given Tom's Hardware's strict policy on circumvention. I expect a moderator to close this thread fairly quickly.

Now, there is one ethical way you can get around the circumvention. Buy your own laptop for your own personal use.

 

[13thmonkey]

Does it matter, you might get caught, at which point say goodbye to your job.

Having recently worked in a bank, i was quite surprised why what they checked.

 

[xlonewolfx456]

Given that you're asking us how to circumvent security on hardware that you admit you only have the right to use under specific terms that you're admitting to wishing to violate, I don't see how anyone here can help you, given Tom's Hardware's strict policy on circumvention. I expect a moderator to close this thread fairly quickly.

I don't wish to circumvent nothing. I have a decent gaming PC. Asked out of curiosity.

Does it matter, you might get caught, at which point say goodbye to your job.

Having recently worked in a bank, i was quite surprised why what they checked.

Hehe I love my job. I just wanted to know that if monitoring is possible at hardware level?

 

[DeadRam]

Does it matter, you might get caught, at which point say goodbye to your job.

Having recently worked in a bank, i was quite surprised why what they checked.

Off topic.. Cool avatar. I loved the new season.

 

[captaincharisma]

Given that you're asking us how to circumvent security on hardware that you admit you only have the right to use under specific terms that you're admitting to wishing to violate, I don't see how anyone here can help you, given Tom's Hardware's strict policy on circumvention. I expect a moderator to close this thread fairly quickly.

I don't wish to circumvent nothing. I have a decent gaming PC. Asked out of curiosity.

Does it matter, you might get caught, at which point say goodbye to your job.

Having recently worked in a bank, i was quite surprised why what they checked.

Hehe I love my job. I just wanted to know that if monitoring is possible at hardware level?

lol judging from your question you don't love it enough. anything connected to a companies network can be monitored

 

[USAFRet]

They can absolutely detect if you plug in a USB drive.
And even just block it from running.

Where I work, connecting anything more involved than a basic mouse is logged and blocked.
1st offense, your boss talks to you
2nd offense, the local branch manager talks to you
3rd offense, Out the door, no questions asked, no appeal, no recourse


Monitoring is NOT limited to the OS only. Anything and everything done on that machine can be monitored.

 

[xlonewolfx456]

Given that you're asking us how to circumvent security on hardware that you admit you only have the right to use under specific terms that you're admitting to wishing to violate, I don't see how anyone here can help you, given Tom's Hardware's strict policy on circumvention. I expect a moderator to close this thread fairly quickly.

I don't wish to circumvent nothing. I have a decent gaming PC. Asked out of curiosity.

Does it matter, you might get caught, at which point say goodbye to your job.

Having recently worked in a bank, i was quite surprised why what they checked.

Hehe I love my job. I just wanted to know that if monitoring is possible at hardware level?

lol judging from your question you don't love it enough. anything connected to a companies network can be monitored

LOL I have NO intentions to jeopardize my job. So you are saying that it can be monitored only on company's network? No hardware integration?

Let me reframe my question before my work ethics get questioned lol
Is monitoring possible at hardware level? like when someone finds a way around the software part?

 

[JamesSneed]

Given that you're asking us how to circumvent security on hardware that you admit you only have the right to use under specific terms that you're admitting to wishing to violate, I don't see how anyone here can help you, given Tom's Hardware's strict policy on circumvention. I expect a moderator to close this thread fairly quickly.

I don't wish to circumvent nothing. I have a decent gaming PC. Asked out of curiosity.

Does it matter, you might get caught, at which point say goodbye to your job.

Having recently worked in a bank, i was quite surprised why what they checked.

Hehe I love my job. I just wanted to know that if monitoring is possible at hardware level?

Very unlikely they would monitor at the hardware level. It just costs to much for each laptop not that it is impossible so if they are paranoid then yes you could get caught. If they are smart the BIOS is locked and the laptop is only set to boot from the SSD. Also they should have full drive encryption enabled to prevent theft of the SSD and copying it. They do both those things you are kind of stuck unless you swap the SSD drive out. Just don't mess with it buy your own laptop

 

[xlonewolfx456]

They can absolutely detect if you plug in a USB drive.
And even just block it from running.

Monitoring is NOT limited to the OS only. Anything and everything done on that machine can be monitored.

That's what I needed to know. Thanks!

 

[13thmonkey]

They can absolutely detect if you plug in a USB drive.
And even just block it from running.

Where I work, connecting anything more involved than a basic mouse is logged and blocked.
1st offense, your boss talks to you
2nd offense, the local branch manager talks to you
3rd offense, Out the door, no questions asked, no appeal, no recourse


Monitoring is NOT limited to the OS only. Anything and everything done on that machine can be monitored.

TPM?

 

[adiec]

it's not a human being - it's a computer. If someone is intelligent enough to create a way for something to be possible then it's possible. the best way to to be is to assume everything is possible when it comes to computers . things may not be commercially available but it doesn't mean they do not exist. if the information that you have access to is valuable / dangerous in the wrong hands then you can assume it will be well protected .