Secure Browsing in a Shared .NET Framework Intranet

Secure Browsing in a Shared .NET Framework Intranet

Think of all the students in a school computer lab or office workers in a shared corporate NET framework environment. Even if they should know better, everyone indulges in personal Internet browsing, surfing adult, gaming, video and social networking sites. But there is no such thing as leaving no tracks, right? Anyone can peek into the contents of History or the Favorites list. When PC’s are shared, moreover, there is no safety in saving addresses in the Favorites list even if one uses it often enough. There is always the risk that the network Admin will give vent to his curiosity and delete “non-business” Net addresses. So, how does one work around these “hindrances”?

While modeling an e-commerce project based on the NET framework with the folks at Nashua, NH, -based HyTech Professionals the other day, one developer demonstrated how to use a neat utility called WebTool (author: George Bodnar). One simply stores the executable file on a memory stick. On loading, you see a list of Internet addresses and a button. Select the address wanted, press the button and WebTool opens a new instance of Internet Explorer.

This works only in a NET framework environment because the platform does not require a registry entry to run an executable. NET depends on “xcopy deployment”, not caring that the sys admin has not authorized a program but finding and running components automatically.

Of course, I should emphasize at this point that this workaround should not be used for idling away executive time or corporate bandwidth. But there are justifiable circumstances for covering one’s tracks, such as in a two- or three-shift contact center environment operating on the NET framework. So it is worth keeping WebTool in mind when pursuing a confidential project for the boss. Unless you are absolutely sure you are okay with having other users of the PC learn about the next “lean and mean” rightsizing exercise or acquisition talks perhaps. No? I didn’t think so.