Monthly Archives: January 2016

Panda Security

European Court Rules That Work Can Read Your Private Emails & Messages

In a recent judgement the European Court of Human Rights has ruled that it is acceptable for an employer to monitor their network including any employee’s private online communications.

In this case the plaintiff, who claimed a breach of his human rights, had been communicating to his fiancé and brother – on a work computer, during working hours, using a messaging app setup for work purposes. Brought to light during dismissal proceedings these private communications were shown as breach of company policy which banned all members of staff from sending personal messages during working hours.

boss spying

The court in Strasbourg ruled against the sacked staff member saying that it was not “unreasonable that an employer would want to verify that employees were completing their professional tasks during working hours”; similar to recent US rulings that employers have a right to look at the contents of an employee’s computer.

Company Policy

While judgements made by the European Court of Human Rights are binding, in the UK the ruling could be limited to unauthorised use of work devices during working hours for private communication.

Check your employer’s workplace policy as some employers allow for “reasonable personal use” of company systems, such as outside work hours, while others may impose a complete ban.

Your employer must inform you if it intends to monitor emails or internet use, either in your employment contract or workplace communication policy.

If your company operates a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy, it must provide full details on the monitoring of communications when an employee makes use of their own device for work purposes.

Employers should also consider how their policies effect staff motivation and productivity to ensure the best efficacy.

It’s a Private Conversation

While the employers’ ability to either monitor private conversations or impose a complete embargo during working hours may be unpopular – it is completely legal.

If you don’t want your employers reading your personal messages, then only communicate using your own device in your own time.

The post European Court Rules That Work Can Read Your Private Emails & Messages appeared first on MediaCenter Panda Security.

Panda Security

Afraid you might have a virus? Analyze and disinfect your PC for free with Panda Cloud Cleaner!

malware computer

It might be that you’re too trusting and haven’t installed an antivirus on your PC, or that your license has recently expired, or that you have an antivirus but it doesn’t guarantee maximum protection and… maybe you’ve been infected!

If you notice that the performance of your computer has changed, or that simple tasks that previously worked fine are now running incorrectly, it’s likely that some type of malware (virus, Trojan, work, etc.) has installed itself on your PC.

How do I know if my PC is infected?

At Panda Security we make user security our priority, even those who don’t use our antivirus. This is why we offer a free tool that can analyze your PC, determine if it has been infected, and eliminate any type of malware that may be lurking on it.

You can download Panda Cloud Cleaner for free here.

disinfect pc

Why should I use Panda Cloud Cleaner on my PC?

  • It’s a tool that has been specifically designed to eliminate spyware, malware, and all types of viruses. It won’t miss a thing!
  • It’s lightweight and easy-to-use. It will only take a few minutes to download, install and analyze your computer.
  • It updates in real-time thanks to Panda Security’s Collective Intelligence. It learns from each analysis!
  • It continues working in offline mode (without Internet connection), no matter how aggressive the malware may be. You can leave it installed so that it’s there when you need it the most. 

Although it’s a very useful tool, you should keep in mind that Panda Cloud Cleaner isn’t an antivirus. It doesn’t protect you against new attacks, but rather eliminates the malware that is already on your PC. This is why we recommend that you use it in conjunction with an advanced security solution.

The post Afraid you might have a virus? Analyze and disinfect your PC for free with Panda Cloud Cleaner! appeared first on MediaCenter Panda Security.