Websense blocking

[rob4001]

Hi

Our works IT policy is quite strict and on lunchtime I'd like to use websites that are blocked by websense are there ways to circumnavigate and would IT be aware? As I might get into trouble

[Splash]

You agreed to the IT policy when you signed your contract there. I suspect that you'll get short shrift here asking how to bypass the policies set in place by the company that you work for.

Alternatively why not approach the IT department and see if they'd consider implementing quota time to allow you to access the sites you're talking about at specific times? It's a pretty standard feature of Websense (and other proxy software)

[TheAnimus]

Buy a cheapo netbook and 3g data.

[Stoo]

Buy a cheapo netbook and 3g data.

This. Or a smartphone.

You're not going to get that sort of information on this forum. Actually let me put another way:

We're not going to allow a post on here which will show you how to circumvent the IT policy.

[Splash]

Seriously: unless the sites you're looking to access in your lunch hour are seriously dodgy have a chat with your IT department about potentially relaxing their policies with a limit on the times you can access them. Learn to work with the company and not against them.

[jim]

It's pretty good software Websense, quite easy to set up all sorts of logging and monitoring.

I don't know how minor you expect the 'trouble' to be, but I suspect you will get caught. Even if you aren't caught by the software, it only takes one person to say "why was so and so on Facebook" (or whatever site) and you're stuffed.

[BlackDwarf]

We're not going to allow a post on here which will show you how to circumvent the IT policy.

I'll tell you how...


You can't.

Websense is a ridiculously powerful bit of software, and the only way you're gonna get to a blocked site, is if your admin unblocks it. We run it where I work, and there ain't no way of circumnavigating it.
I've tried, trust me, and I'm one of the IT dept Even with a list of all our network IP's and admin rights, I was scuppered. I might add that our sysadmin got me to try, I wasn't doing anything dodgy

[Sysadm]

One thing I don't like about Websense is that you can't have a live view of whats going on. It's a pain to have to stop the log and then use the test log server to find out why someone was blocked! This feature was in Surfcontrol who they bought so the technology is there.

The tech guys have probably blocked your access to online proxies but if not, thats an easy way to access some sites but to save you getting in trouble, use your phone so that its not logged anywhere There are other ways but your probably better off not knowing lol

[Pilgrim_uk]

......

[Pilgrim_uk]

Hi Rob,

Don't even bother to try and circumvent Websense as you will not get round it. We use Websense in the workplace and as others have said your account does get logged with which sites you visit. If they have a hardline Websense policy then they probably don't let normal users have admin rights. So no manual configuration can be done. If you try to install anything to automatically configure the pc then the AV software might pick it up as malware/virus/ hacking tools which in our dept is an instant notification and a visit to your PC. Then its awkward questions time. (This will get you in trouble)

All those Google sites that promise of ways to get past Websense are useless If the IT dept have put a normal security policy in place.

If you really want to get past Websense become a network engineer as that's real control over a network not a server admin.

[roachcoach]

More to the point, is your job worth the inconvenience?

Sure, there are ways, BUT ... No, just no.


That said, often I find useful sites blocked and wholly inappropriate stuff open!

[Butcher]

As I might get into trouble

You realise you'll probably be fired on the spot? Just checking.

[peterb]

<---snip

Actually let me put another way:

We're not going to allow a post on here which will show you how to circumvent the IT policy.

As he said.

Depending on the business and the wording of the policy, it could be construed as gross miscondct, and also a potential offence under the computer misuse act. Either could lead to instant dismissal, and one could lead to a criminal record.

I have deleted one post that suggested ways of circumventing it (probably unsuccessful) but if your IT department is on the ball, you will be detected.

[Splash]

One thing I don't like about Websense is that you can't have a live view of whats going on.

That's certainly not the case in the (admittedly outdated) version we use at my place of work. I can enter a username and the URL and see which policy access would be blocked under (if any).

[Lucio]

I'd agree that if you want to get online that badly, get a smartphone to use at lunchtime (or even a sneaky glance at your desk). Unless you have a *really* strict office/IT policy, it's the best way, and heck, if your IT team have any flexibility, you might even be able to tether your laptop/PC to your phone during lunchtime without violating their policies

[Macman]

Imho... it is not even worth attempting it.