Accessing work Outlook Express email from home - Is the stuff on MY computer secure?

I recently resigned from the worst company you could imagine. I used to use their website for work email using outlook express and while they've deleted my email account I can still log into their other accounts that I happen to remember the passwords for (idiots?). My ex-employers are heavily into spying on their staff (like 24/7 - and it's a very small company) and have just issued a number of warnings to my ex-colleagues for looking at facebook, ebay, and the like, accompanied with full print outs of the (password protected) pages in question.... I am still logging into their email from home as the whole thing is better than the TV for entertainment, but being not so technically minded I need reassurance that I can see them but they can't see me???
Accessing work Outlook Express email from home - Is the stuff on MY computer secure?
Your ex employer can't see what's on your computer but you can indeed read their email.





I assume you are logging in to an external mailserver and not a company mailserver.





I understand how you feel but logging in to POP accounts owned by your previous employer is not exactly legal. It depends on local laws whether this falls under criminal or civil law so you need to be v-e-r-y careful.





The Webmail client on the mail server you are accessing would most likely be recording the IP address used to access the mailbox and that will point back to your Internet Service Provider and your personal line details. It would be a simple matter for your employer to check IP addresses if they suspected unauthorised people were accessing company mailboxes and track it back to you.





If you are going to email your ex-colleagues make sure you use their private email addresses, certainly not their work email.





Take my advice - don't push your luck or you may end up in deep s**t! Take care...





---------





Replying to your updated post:





They HAVE disabled your access by removing your personal company mail account and that's the limit of what they are able to do. As you are no longer employed by the company, any access using previously stored passwords on your computer would be regarded as unauthorised, making you liable.





Once you ceased employment you are no longer authorised to access company mail accounts and should delete all existing shortcuts from your computer. For security reasons your employer should update passwords on a regular basis anyway to avoid situations such as this.





PLEASE take my advice and don't go there again otherwise we may be reading about you in the Sydney Morning Herald!! (I'm in Australia too)





Good luck with finding a better job.





The Old Sound Man





PS: Did your previous employer have a written Internet/Email policy and provide copies to staff? According to OIR rules they have no legal right to restrict the staff unless there is an official policy and staff are made fully aware of what they can and can't do and what the disciplenary consequences might be. If you want to help your ex workmates, a call to the OIR might be a good idea.
Reply:What you are doing is a criminal offence !


You are illegally using their network without their permission -


This is Cyber Crime that all internet users hate -


They have the full right to prevent you from using their system for your own private use especially during work hours -


Would you like it if I came to your house and found your passwords then accessed porn or other things on your computer without your permission - I am not after your choice for best answer I am just telling you the facts !!


As you no longer work for this compamy then YOU should delete the bookmark - They may not realise you still have access to their system - What if you intercept important incoming emails that relate to their company ?? This can lead to fraud etc. although I feel you are not out to defraud the company you are legally no longer able to use the system without THEIR permission as you are no longer an employee ! If my access code was 1234 and you used my system I could actually sue you in MANY countries !!