Oops! Used MN on work WiFi...

[springbabydays]

On my phone and now I'm worried our IT dept will know my username. Is that possible?

[cocacola1]

If the page wasn't blocked then it would have just sailed on through without anybody noticing

[springbabydays]

But if they did look could they see?

[wyrdyBird]

If the wifi is properly encrypted no information can be picked up (unless there is a determined hacker about).

So if you have to use a password to connect to wifi in the first place -ie, it's not a public wifi hotspot - no-one can collect any data from your wifi connection alone.

[cocacola1]

wyrdyBird that's not entirely true in a corporate enviroment, for example the wifi setup that I manage all internet traffic over wifi and desktop computers is logged to that staff members username and if we suspect any child protection issues we are authorised to go through that data, but we don't sit there going "oh look springbaby is on mumsnet" I really wouldn't worry

[springbabydays]

I'm not worried that they could see I was on this site, just wanted to know if that's all they could see, or if they could also see what my username is on here (on my phone I'm automatically logged in). I'm worried about my own confidentiality!

[prh47bridge]

Mumsnet uses encryption when you login. The cookie used when you have logged in also appears to be encrypted. If they have the right equipment (unlikely) they could in theory look at the contents of every page you look at and potentially see your nickname. The chances of them having the time and interest to do so are minimal. So I don't think you have anything to worry about.

[Mrsrochesterscat]

I know nothing about tech stuff - but there was a Mumsnetter who's DS lost his job because she had logged in to MN on his network and his work got hold of her MN name, read all her posts (and quoted them!).

I would perhaps report this post and ask MN? Or post on site stuff and ask for Tech to come along and help answer your questions?

[springbabydays]

Thank you. I have done. I'm sure IT are too busy to go nosing but it's that small element of doubt which worries me - we share such private information on here don't we.

Feel like such a wally

[JessicaMumsnet]

Hello,
prh47bridge is dead right.

They'd have to keep the page they're transferring to the user, and look in it to see the username.

[springbabydays]

Thanks Jessica

Does that mean that after the event, it's too late for them to look back at the pages? Sorry, I'm useless with tech stuff!

[MinesAPintOfTea]

That depends on what they bother to keep. Time for a name change?

[prh47bridge]

If the keep the contents of every web page people look at they can in theory check at any time but it is extremely unlikely that they would keep all that information. Even in a small firm the internet traffic for a single day would be quite a lot of data so they would be chewing up disk space pretty rapidly. If, as is likely, they don't keep the contents of every web page they cannot now look back at the pages and see your username.

[prh47bridge]

And thanks for the cake!

[springbabydays]

Thanks everyone for your input. Really helpful. To be on the super-safe side I'll keep this name for my least controversial viewpoints