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Original poster

Email snooping

22 replies

Springersandchampers · 29/08/2022 10:11

I’ll keep this short, hoping for a quick answer before work tomorrow.

A colleague has accessed my work PC and read a confidential work email to me from my boss.

I had asked them to do something on my PC (not email related) And I was over their shoulder so know they didn’t read it then. Shortly after this I popped out for half an hour and I believe this is when it was read.

There is nothing specific in our handbook about accessing others emails and PCs but I assume this is not acceptable?

OP posts:

BogOffTraceyBeaker · 29/08/2022 10:17

Why were they on your PC when you weren’t with them?
how do you know they read it?
they didn’t access your PC you gave them permission to be on it because you needed them do something- that’s different to them logging in as you without your permission

purplepandas · 29/08/2022 10:19

What about your IT policy?

BoredWithLife · 29/08/2022 10:19

Is there anything in your handbook about locking your PC before walking away from it?

anotherpotoftea · 29/08/2022 10:20

Going to need more info here.

Why were you giving them access to your PC? Do they work in IT? Did you allow them to use it while logged in with your login?

Everywhere I’ve worked, letting someone use your PC with your login would be as much an issue as someone reading your emails.

perimenofertility · 29/08/2022 10:27

Did you give them your password or have they hacked in?
Was the email marked confidential?
Do you know for certain this colleague has read the email/been on your computer without you being there?

FrippEnos · 29/08/2022 10:43

Sorry but in the IT places that I have worked this would go against you as you have given someone else access to your pc. Unless they were in a technical/repair position in which case they would be in serious trouble.

LondonQueen · 29/08/2022 10:50

How do you know they read the email. A lot of IT policies would hold you responsible as you allowed access to your PC, unless of course they are from the IT team etc.

Original poster

Springersandchampers · 29/08/2022 11:07

Answers to questions…

I asked this person to install something on my PC. NOT email related. My emails were off the screen. This particular email was from almost 2 weeks ago.
We are a small firm with no IT department, this person does all minor technical things on PCs/Phones in our office.

My PC is locked when I’m away from my desk. Another co-worker has authorised access as she uses a programme on there in my absence. This particular colleague does not.

I know this email was access at a time other than when he was on my PC with my permission and I was stood over his shoulder watching. Besides, this person was specifically doing something else NOT email related.

I know this email was read as this person has told my boss they ‘stumbled across it’ on my PC.

Our IT policy doesn’t specifically mention accessing other colleagues emails

OP posts:

anotherpotoftea · 29/08/2022 11:17

So they told your boss they read it? You could’ve mentioned that!

LondonQueen · 29/08/2022 11:24

anotherpotoftea · 29/08/2022 11:17

So they told your boss they read it? You could’ve mentioned that!

Yes, quite an important detail! OP what has your boss said about this?

averageavocado · 29/08/2022 11:26

Sorry, how did they access your pc?

Did you leave it locked?

RichardMarxisinnocent · 29/08/2022 11:35

Everywhere I’ve worked, letting someone use your PC with your login would be as much an issue as someone reading your emails.

Where I work it wouldn't be an issue if it was a "I'm not sure how to do this, can you show me how/help me to do it while I sit and watch you" type situation. It would probably be an issue if you just allowed them do whatever it was while you went off somewhere else, and it would definitely be an issue if you told them your password so they could log in as you to do whatever it was.

Where I work if someone doesn't have access to install a programme someone from IT would usually install it remotely, but if that wasn't possible, the IT person would go to the PC in person and log in as themselves to do the install, so no need to be logged in as someone else and no need to know anyone else's password.

RichardMarxisinnocent · 29/08/2022 11:39

Another co-worker has authorised access as she uses a programme on there in my absence. This particular colleague does not.

Authorised access how? To log in to your PC using their own login details? Or to log in to your PC using your login details? The former is fine and normal if the programme can't be installed on another PC, the latter opens you both up to all sorts of issues around accessing each other's data, or one of you doing something that's not allowed and nobody knowing who was responsible.

RichardMarxisinnocent · 29/08/2022 11:40

averageavocado · 29/08/2022 11:26

Sorry, how did they access your pc?

Did you leave it locked?

Also, this. If you locked your PC they can't have accessed it.

girlmom21 · 29/08/2022 11:54

Nobody should have any access to your PC. The person who uses the programme needs it downloaded to their PC.

What did your boss say?

RichardMarxisinnocent · 29/08/2022 11:59

girlmom21 · 29/08/2022 11:54

Nobody should have any access to your PC. The person who uses the programme needs it downloaded to their PC.

What did your boss say?

Of course someone else can access the OP's PC, they just need to login into it using their own network login details and not the OP's. It might be that the firm only has a one machine licence for the software so can't be installed on another PC.

girlmom21 · 29/08/2022 12:08

@RichardMarxisinnocent yeah but they're logging in using her credentials which they shouldn't be

They need to purchase a second license if that's the case. It's not hard.

SpicePearl · 29/08/2022 12:21

In all honesty this sounds like your boss’ problem. If your colleague’s access to this particular email negatively affects you then you need to submit a complaint to that effect and ask how this will be addressed. Pursue until you’re happy with the resolution.

ilovebrie8 · 29/08/2022 12:23

What’s the issue if your boss already knows your colleague saw the email on your PC?

ilovebrie8 · 29/08/2022 12:24

Your boss needs to rectify it if it’s something now difficult for you to deal with.

RichardMarxisinnocent · 29/08/2022 13:13

girlmom21 · 29/08/2022 12:08

@RichardMarxisinnocent yeah but they're logging in using her credentials which they shouldn't be

They need to purchase a second license if that's the case. It's not hard.

I wasn't sure from how the OP phrased with whether the other colleague was using their own credentials or the OP's as she just said the colleague had 'authorised access'. Of course if they're using the OP's credentials you're right that's an absolutele no no.

Username3008 · 30/08/2022 22:08

In answer to the question on your original post, no, this is not acceptable.

However, the details still seem a little blurry for me. Does the email affect your colleague? Why has he felt the need to bring it up with your boss, who has obviously read the email as well since it was sent from him/her?

As you work for a small firm, it makes things trickier as I'm going to assume you don't have a HR department either? I've worked for both big and small companies, and with the smaller companies, sometimes you just have to grin and bear and it and learn from it (i.e, don't allow access to your computer and/or delete emails that you don't want people to read).

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