Using VPN on Employer's Network for Privacy: Business Activities & Disconnecting Safely

You connect to the VPN, perform business activities (you do not log in to Facebook, etc.), disconnect and then "cut off" your employer.

Moderated By tzok:

I moved the answer from the deleted thread, so it was before the question ...

My employer provided me with remote access to the database, which is very useful for me. I can with the above. connect via VPN from my private computer - he told me to install OPEN VPN GUI on his computer. I was curious about my privacy in this situation. I read the forum posts, checked my IP address at https://www.adres-ip.pl/ - when connected via VPN, this address changes to the employer's address, I can also see that it is a dynamic address (the address changes with each connected), so as I understand it, when I connect via VPN, the employer sees all my online activity ...

Now my question; what can i do to protect my privacy? Is it enough to disconnect from the VPN after using the database? Can the employer "rummage" in my private computer via a VPN? - that is, browsing files, browsing history of websites that I connected to not using a VPN?

Regards and I hope for an answer :)

Dashing Hank wrote back to me:
"You connect to the VPN, perform business activities (you do not log in to Facebook, etc.), disconnect and then" cut off "your employer."

Thank you very much for your answer. :)

I have one more question. If I am in a "normal" internet session, I am logged in to my e-mail and Facebook and starting the connection via VPN, but not refreshing my e-mail, Facebook etc.? Is it safe for my privacy? Does the employer see previously opened (not via VPN) tabs?

A VPN is used to connect your computer to a remote LAN. So after establishing the connection, your computer is on the corporate network. I do not know Open VPN very well, but it is often possible to set whether only the traffic directed to the remote LAN is to go through the VPN, or all traffic (in other words, whether it should use the local or remote default gateway). When creating a new connection, Windows will probably ask you what type of network you are connecting to. If you do not want to share anything to the corporate network, you should select "Public network". If you use the default gateway on the remote network, all of your network traffic passes through your corporate router, but most of that traffic is encrypted. The company's network administrator then has more or less the same ability to view your activity as the local ISP whose services you use.

Mimmii wrote:

My employer provided me with remote access to the database, which is very useful for me. I can with the above. connect via VPN from my private computer - he told me to install OPEN VPN GUI on his computer. I was curious about my privacy in this situation. I read the posts in this thread, checked my IP address at https://www.adres-ip.pl/ - when connected via VPN, this address changes to the employer's address, I can also see that it is a dynamic address (the address changes with every connection), so as I understand it, when I connect via VPN, the employer sees all my online activity ...

Hello. This is how a VPN works. You establish an encrypted connection to the corporate network, so your connection to the world goes through the company link. Although it depends on the configuration, because you can configure it so that the default gateway is your home router, and only communication with the corporate network is via VPN.

Mimmii wrote:

Now my question; what can i do to protect my privacy? Is it enough to disconnect from the VPN after using the database? Can the employer "rummage" in my private computer via a VPN? - that is, browsing files, browsing history of websites that I connected to not using a VPN?

When disconnecting from a VPN, your data traffic no longer flies through the business, so yes, just disconnect. Having a connection to a VPN, it works the same (in some simplification) as if you connected to a WiFi or a company outlet. Someone might be trying to break into your computer from your corporate network, but in the same way they might be just connected to your home network. I doubt if anyone in the company would bother trying to hack employees' remote computers (ignoring the legality of such activities).

Mimmii wrote:

I have one more question. If I am in a "normal" internet session, I am logged in to my e-mail and Facebook and starting the connection via VPN, but not refreshing my e-mail, Facebook etc.? Is it safe for my privacy? Does the employer see previously opened (not via VPN) tabs?

The employer does not see any of your cards, and the traffic between you and the FB or the mail server is encrypted anyway (https connections). Thus, even using a VPN, the employer will not intercept any data in the case of encrypted communication (he can only see what you are connecting to, but he does not have any insight into the content).