Can my network administrator see if i'm using Tor?

SkilledRebuilds · September 23, 2015

My school (back in the day of medieval times)

Could watch/monitor and CONTROL your workstation if need be... I know this because I was his TA, and had to do this myself at times...

Determined admins are not stupid,...but the amount of "determined' admins are few and far between.

Akolyte · September 23, 2015

1. It is a simple task to block TOR, on a network level, if the device your using to connect to tor is on my network, I can stop it, doesn't matter who owns the device. you can still open up tor.exe on your system, it just wont connect to anything.

2. I'll get a automated email alerting me that device with MAC address, host name, current AP point connected to, and your network login details (your AD credentials, i.e. I know exactly who you are, you really think I would allow you on my network without knowing who you are?) has just made a request to the DNS server for a know tor network IP, and TOR not being an approved application would alert me that someone on the network might be getting hit by some variant of cryptolocker.

3. It's not my job to make sure you are working, but i'd forward the alert to your direct manager, if you get your work done, i'd assume they'd not care, but if your already on a performance review... it just means they have more ammo. (replace manager with teacher in this setting).

Admittedly getting around the block on tor is easy, however it is pretty standard practice to make students/staff sign the IT policy. So if they really cared, they'd just cut your network connection.

Right, thats what I mean. The tor bundle comes with an application to bypass blocking.

Saying that though, yeah. I don't use it on the school network because of the simple fact I'm using a school computer, my own computer is a different story.