SoftActivity

TS Monitor 6.1 with adjustable frequency of screenshots

February 6th, 2020

SoftActivity releases an update to TS Monitor software for monitoring users in terminal server sessions. Upgrade is recommended to all customers.

What’s new version in version 6.1

  • new: Change screenshots capture frequency on Screen tab:
    • Admin can adjust how often screenshots are recorded.
    • Reduced storage space requirement on the server, compared to the previous versions.
    • Admin can increase frequency if more detailed logs are required.
  • new: shows estimated space required for screenshots, at the bottom of Screen tab.
  • improved IntelliSnap smart mode of taking screenshots based on users actions.
  • new: Copy and Paste buttons in Agent Properties on Privacy and Files tabs in the lists, for easier editing of long lists.
  • a lot of improvements and minor fixes.

Web console:

  • new: added Keystrokes column to CSV export.
  • multiple bug fixes and improvements.
  • new: added Japanese localization (switch languages in bottom right corner)
Read More

TS Monitor 6.0 with improved users privacy and email reports

July 30th, 2019

SoftActivity has released TS Monitor version 6.0, a major update of its user monitoring system for terminal services.

SoftActivity now makes it easier to protect employees privacy (such as for GDPR compliance in EU), while still recording all unsafe user activity that helps your organization improve employee productivity and detect insider threats early. Now it also includes admin audit log for improved HIPAA compliance in healthcare industry.

New version allows you to prevent recording of:

  • personal online banking, password management apps, and other personal info of employees and customers. This can help organizations with GDPR compliance.
  • regulated PHI (personal health information) for health-care industry, for improved HIPAA compliance;
  • corporate financial and other sensitive apps;
  • credit card numbers entered by employees, for PCI compliance;
  • and other sensitive, private or regulated information.

What’s new in version 6.0

  • Private apps and websites:
    • Admin can create a list of private apps and websites.
    • SoftActivity will NOT record screen copies, typed keystrokes and window name for private apps and websites.
    • It will only record a fact and duration of usage for private apps.
    • Edit Private apps list on Privacy tab in TS Monitor Configuration app on your servers. By default, it’s populated with popular financial websites and password managers.
  • Application switched to x64 architecture for improved performance.
  • Support of Windows Server 2019.
  • Scheduled email reports with users activity summary. Admins will receive weekly report in PDF format with last week’s stats. To enable this report go to web console – Edit Account – Email Reports tab.
  • Graphical charts added to Dashboard in web console:
Employee monitoring dashboard with charts
*click to enlarge
  • Export reports to PDF from the webapp, including pie charts, and new Attendance report:
Employee attendance report in pdf
*click to enlarge
  • Dashboard: select more than 10 top records to view.
  • Filter all reports by time in addition to days interval. Makes it easier to investigate user activity at a particular time of day.
  • Ability to turn off screenshots panel at the bottom. If you are not using screenshots, you can now turn off the panel completely;
  • Audit Log: view history of web console sign-in and sign-out events, and a log of all changes to the system made by admins and managers. Audit log is stored permanently for a year and cannot be deleted from the webapp. Can be seen only by admins. (Authorization monitoring is a requirement for HIPAA-compliant software).
  • Auto sign-out admins and managers after 14 days, for improved security. Session expiration is a requirement for HIPAA-compliant software (the timeout can be adjusted).
  • View users for Top Websites and Top Programs. Click an arrow next to any app or website to see which users spent the most time on the website:
Top users for website
*click to enlarge
  • Web console is now available in Spanish. Switch your language at the bottom right corner.
  • Support of the latest versions of web browsers such as Chrome 7x, Windows Server updates, better compatibility with antivirus products.
  • Improved performance of user session recording and webapp server. Now uses even less server CPU than in previous versions.
  • Configuration app supports dark mode on Windows Server 2019.
  • Other numerous fixes, improvements and optimizations.
  • Database in version 6.0 is compatible SoftActivity Monitor 12 for workstations, and can be shared with that application.
Read More

TS Monitor 5.5 released with Alerts

July 5th, 2018

SoftActivity announces the release of the SoftActivity TS Monitor version 5.5 – its user monitoring software for terminal servers.

This version brings new Alerts based on user actions. You can now get an email alert as soon as a user goes to certain websites, opens an undesirable application at work, or breaks other rules set by the company. It means less time spent monitoring, and instead taking action at the right time when it matters. We have also completely redesigned the web console to show more information on a page and made it easier to navigate.

What’s new in version 5.5:

  • new: Alerts based on user actions:
    • Admin can create a set of alert rules in the web console. If users break a rule, their manager or the admin will get an instant alert;
    • A number of useful pre-defined alert rules is supplied with the system, such as social media websites, files copied to USB, etc. so you can start getting some alerts right out of the box, and start adjusting those rules;

      * click to enlarge
    • Alerts can be based on: visited websites, used applications, typed trigger words (keystrokes), or file operations;
    • Alerts are displayed in the web console and optionally can be sent by email. Alert emails are not sent less than 5 minutes apart, to prevent “alert fatigue”. This interval can be adjusted in settings, in order to receive quicker alerts or to get less emails;

      * click to enlarge
    • In order to start receiving alerts by email, an admin needs to enter SMTP server details in the web console’s Admin Panel. SMTP is used by the system for sending emails securely. Also the admin and managers need to go to Edit Account and enter their name and email address, and make sure “I want to receive alerts by email” check box is on;
    • Managers can see what exactly action by a user has triggered an alert and see screenshots of the violation;
    • New Alerts page allows you to see all alerts (policy violations) in the system and filter them by users, computers, and days interval.
  • new: Complete redesign of the web console with improved user interface:

    * click to enlarge

    • Fits more information on the screen and is easier to navigate.
    • Mobile friendly design: better support of mobile browsers on phones/tablets. View reports on your phone, if it’s connected to the local network, or if your webapp is installed on an Internet facing server and served via HTTPS;
    • Watch the demo video of new web console
  • improved: reduced storage space requirements on the customer’s server for storing screenshots. IntelliSnap mode now records 20-50% less screenshots, will avoid some duplicates, but without missing any important actions by a user;
  • improved: deleting a user in the web console now deletes their screenshots as well to save hard drive space. You can delete a user with all their data in Admin Panel – Monitored Users tab – User
  • fix: removed Keystrokes field from CSV format export, since it was breaking CSV format;
  • discontinued support of Windows Server 2003. Users with Windows Server 2003 are advised to upgrade to Windows Server 2016 or continue using TS Monitor version 5.3 (the last version that supports Server 2003).
  • numerous improvements and fixes

Read More

Remote Desktop Monitoring Software, How to Monitor RDP sessions

January 24th, 2012

Using Windows Terminal Server, Remote Desktop services or Citrix shared desktop services, or XenApp provide business owners, employers and administrators with a remarkable opportunity to get the most advanced computer resources without spending a fortune. However, such remote sessions sometimes present particular problems for tracking, recording and logging user activity. While traditional computer/Internet monitoring systems and keystroke loggers generally prove to be inefficient or even useless in a terminal server environment, many administrators wonder how to monitor remote desktop sessions of their users secretly and in real-time.Read More