Watermark across screen for the end user

[diverdaveman]

It would be nice to have a watermark appear on the user's monitor that is being remoted into so they would know then someone connected to them. That would keep 'user A' from connecting via VNC to 'user B' and just watching their screen even though the Tray icon changes color.

This could be a huge security advantage. Imagine an IT guy connecting to an HR computer to watch payroll or any other personal information. The watermark option would be set as default but could be turned off by a password or not turned off at all - depending on the company or government agency.

The end user would still be able to view their screen but, would know when someone was watching over their shoulder.

Thanks,
Dave

[B]

Not a bad idea... but I think it would be very tricky to make it work considering all the screen limitations and variables (resolutions, changing resolutions upon VNC connection, aero, "alpha blending" considerations, wallpapers, video drivers, mirror drivers, etc.). Maybe something more like what GoToMyPC and LogMeIn do, where there's a nagging balloon window that follows you around.

[diverdaveman]

Do you have any suggestions as to letting the user know when someone has connected to their PC via VNC - either to help or to just watch? Our fear is that an IT or user could view an HR computer screen and HR not know about it.

Just trying to keep the honest man honest.

Dave

[B]

But the open secret is that IT always holds the keys to the kingdom -- any change you make can be trivially undone by an IT worker who has administrative access to that machine (tweaking the registry, changing the watermark setting, or installing a different instance of VNC that doesn't have the watermark feature, and so on). In the current product, for example, the VNC system tray icon can be hidden by anyone who has admin rights.

If you can't trust your IT folks then that's a problem; you should probably have some remote control package that carefully restricts access and logs all use. I really don't know whether UltraVNC is up to that task.

If your IT guys aren't dissuaded by the thought that the system tray icon will change color and the end user will noticed the mouse flying about, then I think you've got the wrong IT guys.

I still like your idea though.

Another approach is to force the end-user screen to be blanked during remote control; that would let the end user know in no uncertain terms that they're being controlled. This is a standard UltraVNC/TIghtVNC feature, though I'm not sure how to hard code it in the viewer. http://forum.ultravnc.info/viewtopic.php?t=17657