Stop Downloading of Yahoo IM

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Guest

I seem to keep hiring employees who like to spend their days using Yahoo IM and checking their Yahoo emails instead of working. This allows them to get around our email system so we can't see how much time they're wasting.

The employees shouldn't have admin priviledges to download Yahoo - how can I block them from downloading Yahoo IM and block them from checking their Yahoo email account, preferably between 8:30-5:30? Thanks!
 
I seem to keep hiring employees who like to spend their days using
Yahoo IM and checking their Yahoo emails instead of working. This
allows them to get around our email system so we can't see how much
time they're wasting.

The employees shouldn't have admin priviledges to download Yahoo - how
can I block them from downloading Yahoo IM and block them from
checking their Yahoo email account, preferably between 8:30-5:30?
Thanks!
Click to expand...

off the top of my head, you could block mail.yahoo.com at your
router/firewall, or set it to 127.0.0.1 in the local host file, this
would prevent users from checking yahoo mail.

Also, you could use

user config/admin template/system - Don't run specified windows apps

to deny running the yahoo IM .exe (although they could just rename it).

Depending on how far you need to go, you could setup a proxy server for
all web access and block/monitor access through it.

Or you could just tell them that the next person caught using yahoo mail
or IM will be fired on the spot.

Just a few ideas.

JHayes
 
You could stop them from running the EXE by explicitly naming it in the GPO
Users section, but the user could always "rename" the exe and thwart your
effort.


ams115 said:
I seem to keep hiring employees who like to spend their days using Yahoo
Click to expand...
IM and checking their Yahoo emails instead of working. This allows them to
get around our email system so we can't see how much time they're wasting.
The employees shouldn't have admin priviledges to download Yahoo - how can
Click to expand...
I block them from downloading Yahoo IM and block them from checking their
Yahoo email account, preferably between 8:30-5:30? Thanks!
 
Thanks. How do I block mail.yahoo.com at the router/firewall, or set it to 127.0.0.1 in the local host file? Also, can I set up a time for this (during business hours). We use MS Small Business Server 2000 if that makes a difference

btw, I like your idea of firing people, but that hasn't worked for me...I tried it and ended up having to fire all 3 of my employees! That's why I want to block it - it seems like everyone does this crap these days.

Thanks for your help

----- JHayes wrote: ----

I seem to keep hiring employees who like to spend their days usin
Yahoo IM and checking their Yahoo emails instead of working. Thi
allows them to get around our email system so we can't see how muc
time they're wasting.
can I block them from downloading Yahoo IM and block them fro
checking their Yahoo email account, preferably between 8:30-5:30
Thanks!
Click to expand...

off the top of my head, you could block mail.yahoo.com at your
router/firewall, or set it to 127.0.0.1 in the local host file, this
would prevent users from checking yahoo mail

Also, you could use

user config/admin template/system - Don't run specified windows app

to deny running the yahoo IM .exe (although they could just rename it)

Depending on how far you need to go, you could setup a proxy server for
all web access and block/monitor access through it

Or you could just tell them that the next person caught using yahoo mail
or IM will be fired on the spot

Just a few ideas

JHaye
 
Thanks. How do I block mail.yahoo.com at the router/firewall, or set
it to 127.0.0.1 in the local host file? Also, can I set up a time for
this (during business hours). We use MS Small Business Server 2000 if
that makes a difference.

btw, I like your idea of firing people, but that hasn't worked for
me...I tried it and ended up having to fire all 3 of my employees!
That's why I want to block it - it seems like everyone does this crap
these days.

Thanks for your help!

----- JHayes wrote: -----



off the top of my head, you could block mail.yahoo.com at your
router/firewall, or set it to 127.0.0.1 in the local host file,
this would prevent users from checking yahoo mail.

Also, you could use

user config/admin template/system - Don't run specified windows
apps

to deny running the yahoo IM .exe (although they could just
rename it).

Depending on how far you need to go, you could setup a proxy
server for all web access and block/monitor access through it.

Or you could just tell them that the next person caught using
yahoo mail or IM will be fired on the spot.

Just a few ideas.

JHayes
Click to expand...

Since I don't know anything about SBS I'll just say you probably want to
check an SBS group for help, or read the documentation to see if it can
help with restrictions.

Also, since I don't know your router/firewall setup I can't really help
with that, but most routers have a way to block sites, take a look at the
documentation for your router or firewall.

For the hosts file, just do a search for 'hosts', in win2k it in winnt
\system32\drivers\etc. Open this file in notepad and add the line

127.0.0.1 mail.yahoo.com

But there are samples in the hosts file that explain how to do it. There
is no way to set a timer for the hosts file though, well, no easy way
that I can think of. Also, anyone with permission to access this file
can just change it back, so it's not the best solution unless your
employee's aren't that computer savvy.

If you want to get all BOFH on them like me, just use the group policy

user config/admin template/system - don't run specified windwos
applications

and add iexplore.exe to the list. poof! no internet (unless you use
another browser).


JHayes
 
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