Can work read my iPhone Gmail account

[Stefx10]

Hello, New to this site. thank you in advance.

I have recently been given an iphone via work. i wanted to setup my gmail account on it so i can update and manage the phone with my personal contacts via companion link. I know they have full access to the emails on my work account via the exchange servers, but my question is can the guys from IT at work read my gmail emails? what else should i be mindful of with an iphone setup from work??

Much appreciated..

Stef

 

[ucfgrad93]

Since it is a work phone, I would be careful about what apps you load, the websites you visit, and whatever else you do with it. Since it is their phone, they could check it.

 

[lifeguard]

legally since it is a work phone anything "on" the phone they are allowed to view. Since you have gmail they would have to physically take your phone and look at it to read your email, and they would be well within their rights to. It may be worth asking your IT folks if they mind you putting your personal email in there and explain why (you want your contacts). I would also check your company policy on using company equipment for personal use.

 

[Stefx10]

thanks guys for you replies.... i do have permission to install apps, use web, install my own email exchange. thats not a problem. i do understand they can take my phone at anytime and do what ever..... but more specifically i wanted to know if they can read my emails and see what websites i have been to remotely from their servers and not physically taking my device and reading it from the handset?
What can they see remotely??

 

[skasol]

thanks guys for you replies.... i do have permission to install apps, use web, install my own email exchange. thats not a problem. i do understand they can take my phone at anytime and do what ever..... but more specifically i wanted to know if they can read my emails and see what websites i have been to remotely from their servers and not physically taking my device and reading it from the handset?
What can they see remotely??

Where you been and what you browse yes, your gmail I doubt it. Unless they physically take your phone and read your gmail.

Good luck.

I would be careful with the information I would put there.

 

[dickdaney]

If you're connecting to the Internet throughout the 3G network, it's highly unlikely they would be able to remotely monitor. What you do on the phone. To do that, they would need access to AT&T and Verizon's servers.

If your job has wifi and you connect to it while at work, then they would be easily able to monitor what you are doing. All you data traffic would go through their corporate servers at that point.

It's best to keep work devices and person devices separate. I know it seems costly to and redundant to have two phones, two laptops, two iPads, etc. However at the end of the day theres less legal crap you have to deal with if something goes wrong

 

[PNutts]

thanks guys for you replies.... i do have permission to install apps, use web, install my own email exchange. thats not a problem. i do understand they can take my phone at anytime and do what ever..... but more specifically i wanted to know if they can read my emails and see what websites i have been to remotely from their servers and not physically taking my device and reading it from the handset?
What can they see remotely??

There's too many variables to give you an answer with any real certainty, and you've got some very good answers already. My quick advice is to assume they have access to everything on the phone either directly or indirectly. For example, if it is important for your company to pursue, they will get the detailed useage from AT&T which may or may not include the bodies of e-mails while on 3G, but it will contain the envelope information. You didn't mention if you sync, and if you do if it is your personal PC or the companies but that is another avenue for them to research your useage.

With all that said, if you have written permission for personal use then I wouldn't worry about it unless what you're doing could get you fired. E-mail adminstrators casually reading other's e-mail typically don't last long, and gives you an opportunity for compensation which may or may not include keeping your job.

I assume you have ActiveSync policies in place to require a passcode? If so there is no reason why you shouldn't be able to unlock your phone and remove your gmail account if IT needs the phone for some reason. Put some HIPAA or other confidential information on there and let them know it needs to be removed before you hand it over and the company's lawers will probably agree. Conversely, if they force you to hand it over locked, a good security policy will wipe the phone after too many incorrect password attempts.

But again, if it won't get you fired then don't worry about it.

 

[Diode]

thanks guys for you replies.... i do have permission to install apps, use web, install my own email exchange. thats not a problem. i do understand they can take my phone at anytime and do what ever..... but more specifically i wanted to know if they can read my emails and see what websites i have been to remotely from their servers and not physically taking my device and reading it from the handset?
What can they see remotely??

Gmail is encrypted to the server so even with VPN access they couldn't read your mail remotely.

 

[PNutts]

Gmail is encrypted to the server so even with VPN access they couldn't read your mail remotely.

True if you know how to access Gmail via SSL, and your company hasn't locked down access to the public internet and/or redirecting all web traffic back through the company's infrastructure.