Does network monitoring read employees' e-mails or messages?
Not with NetSenX. It analyses metadata and a few protocol fields: which device connected to which address and port, when, how often and how much data moved, the server name in the TLSTLS: Transport Layer Security. The encryption that protects most internet traffic, such as HTTPS. handshake and the answers to DNS queries. It never decrypts traffic, so the content of e-mails, chat messages, web pages and prompts typed into AI tools stays unread. Some other products do decrypt or inspect content, so ask every vendor the same question and get the answer in writing. Metadata can still be personal data, because device names and IP addresses can be linked to a person, so the GDPRGDPR: General Data Protection Regulation. The EU data protection law (Regulation (EU) 2016/679). applies to it. Explain this distinction to employees and the works council before you start: it answers the most common worry precisely.
General information, not legal advice. National laws can add to the EU texts quoted here, for example deadlines, forms or reporting channels: check your own country's rules.
Read next
Related questions
- What does a network sensor record about employees?
- Do we need works council approval for network security monitoring?
- How do we see personal devices connected to the office network?
- Is it risky to let new employees use personal laptops on the company network?
- Can we get a list of every device that joined the office network this month?
Terms used here
- TLS (Transport Layer Security)
- The encryption that protects most internet traffic, such as HTTPS.
- GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)
- The EU data protection law (Regulation (EU) 2016/679).