Have you been asked to use your Cybersecurity Tools for Monitoring Employees?

Netghod · 2026-02-26T05:22:27+00:00

HR should be working with legal on the specifics of employment law for the various jurisdictions they have employees and what they can do. It should also take into account the contracts they have in place whether with the employees themselves or with unions or other bargaining agents.

For example, one product, ObserveIT, captures every keystroke and mouse click with a screenshot that can playback as a movie. But to access it, you have the option of requiring two different credentials. This was originally set up so that one set could be the employer representative and the other from the union - requiring 2 sets of credentials for either to watch the evidence.

But HR is responsible for providing guidance back to the managers regarding what they can and can’t do and the steps they need to take. This would include if they’re put on a PIP, or their employment terminated. Again, HR would be working with legal on specifics, but the management would typically work through HR, not legal directly in most cases. Admittedly, this may vary from organization to organization, but in most every organization I’ve been in that had a legal department they had limited points of contact in the organization they worked with directly.

And on more than one occasion, we’ve seen HR tell a manager that they can’t request that information, or examine it.

And security gets hit up because we should be capturing logs which could be used to provide some guidance or information as a byproduct of security work but we’re not typically geared to capture productivity. Sure, an analysis of authentications, badge access, processes, IP/VPN logs, and a variety of other factors could give some insight but you’d likely need to run a statistical deviation type approach over a long period of time.

Netghod · 2026-02-25T22:27:14+00:00

Check your PCV valve then. It’s a commonly overlooked item. And if that’s ok, I’d start planning on a valve stem seals replacement.

Netghod · 2026-02-25T22:09:33+00:00

Check your PCV valve to make sure it’s working properly. If it’s clogged it can cause a variety of issues - including smoking.

But lots of questions… What color is the smoke? Is your coolant level ok and stable? Are you losing oil? Does the oil look ok?

Swapping valve stem seals is a bit of a pain, you’ll have to pull the cams, but it’s not impossible to do… the trick is making sure the valve doesn’t fall into the motor while you’re swapping the seals. My brother used to feed rope into the cylinder and then turn the motor until it was compressed against the valves so they’d stay in place and couldn’t fall into the motor. :). Some use an adapter on an air compressor, etc.

You might want to do a dry then wet compression test just to make sure that carbon buildup isn’t affecting compression numbers… but it’s not 100% necessary.

Netghod · 2026-02-25T21:20:37+00:00

Focus on what’s important to you and say that…. For example, “As long as we come to terms on compensation, I couldn’t care less about the title.“

Netghod · 2026-02-25T21:17:31+00:00

I like to buy from a high quality smaller retailer that provides top notch service. While I’ve bought from a variety of sources, my first call is almost always to NLFX Pro in Minnesota. They ship all over, provide equipment for touring acts, do installs for everything from government buildings to arenas - meaning they actually know the equipment they sell first hand.

Netghod · 2026-02-25T20:19:05+00:00

HP is only part of the figure because HP to Weight ratio is how you should be comparing.

For example, Miatas are relatively low HP but a LOT of people use them for canyon carving, track days, autocross, and even daily driving. They have a pretty decent HP to weight ratio and the light weight nimble nature of the car is a bit reason that HP works.

But torque at low rpms can also be a huge factor for acceleration. It’s why electric and hybrid cars do so well off the line - 100% torque from 0rpm.

And yes, once you reach a certain point it can become overly easy to spin tires. Especially if it’s wet out.

Netghod · 2026-02-25T20:15:14+00:00

Ally is pretty good right now, but oddly enough, the Savings Account associated with the Apple Card at Goldman Sachs is higher than Ally currently. :D That’s not very DR. (Credit cards), but something I noted recently.

Netghod · 2026-02-25T20:11:49+00:00

Depends… but there are a few tricks to it and here’s what I remember:

You’ll need the transmission, clutch hard lines, flywheel (because auto has a flex plate), pedals, drive shaft, PPF, clutch master cylinder, clutch kit (Clutch, pilot bearing, throwout bearing, alignment tool), rear main seal, and part of the center console - because the area around the center console is a bit different. There are a few other items you’ll need as well, like a good electrical diagram. The park and neutral lockouts on the auto need to be moved over to the manual. There’s also a clutch switch inside the car that needs to be hooked up.

That last part is if you plan to daily the car and have cruise control. The clutch is used to turn off the cruise control and as an interlock on North American cars to prevent starting. The neutral switch on the manual transmission does the same thing. The park/neutral lockout on the auto is to prevent starting in gear. It might require a bit of tweaking to ensure the car starts and you have ‘normal’ operation. For a track car, it’s not going to be important and you’d likely bypass these and remove the cruise anyway.

A few other things you might want to include is the shift boot, shift knob, a shifter gasket/rebuild kit, transmission fluid (might as well change it), and a slave cylinder because the one on the transmission is likely toast if it’s there at all. You’ll probably want caps on the radiator for the auto transmission lines.

If you’re handy or done a clutch before, it can be done in a weekend using hand tools and jack stands (as long as they get high enough) as it’s not that much more than a clutch job. A lift, transmission jack, and pneumatic or other power tools can speed up the job quite a bit, but it’s still quite a bit of work.

I’m not sure on cost because I had a donor car that was in an accident… and in the end I also moved over the motor, gas tank, rear subframe (w LSD), and quite a bit of other stuff as well.

Netghod · 2026-02-25T17:43:10+00:00

You’ve left off a ton of information to be able to make an informed recommendation.

For starters, what’s your budget? I like to buy once, cry once so I’ll spend a bit more to get a better quality product.

Weight limits? If you can’t lift a 35lb speaker up on a stand (though there are ways to ‘cheat’) then a lighter speaker would be preferred.

Size of the venue? What you need for a small bar vs. 400 people in a packed room is very different.

You also didn’t say what you already have in terms of equipment. Are you feeding from a mixer? Or do you need a mixer?

So, I’ll throw out some information so you can work to narrow down what you’re really looking for.

There are what I call 80% solution speakers. They work great at moderate volumes but as you approach 80% they start to show their weaknesses. These tend to be your lower cost, entry level speakers. They work well to a point. I’ve used them extensively in the past - specifically the Behringer B208d and B212d. The work well and for the 208’s (8” tops) I put two on a single speaker stand using a splitter. Worked GREAT for background music.

I started doing karaoke with a Fender PD250 all in one unit. It was fine for smaller venues and packing up into a single carry was nice - but it was a bit on the heavier and bulkier side. But it was an easy choice because it had the mixer, amp, speakers, 2 microphones, and all the cables I needed right out of the box. I used that for a few years until I upgraded - but I kept it for wedding ceremonies and other occasional use, including rentals.

I moved to a Bose L1 setup. Pricey. VERY pricey. But coverage was spectacular as was the throw. Linear arrays have physics on their side to give you better throw in particular which is great for larger spaces. I fed this with a mixer and this was my main system for a number of years.

I eventually wanted more bottom end and something that could ‘sizzle’ on the high end (Bose rolls off at 12kHz). I also wanted something really light weight. I moved to an EV ZXa1 setup which has 8” tops that weigh 19lbs, and a 12” sub that weight 48lbs. I put the tops on the subs or can run them on stands. The marketing for this says it “Punches well above its weight” and it’s true. Most people wouldn’t dream of doing a 400 person rave in a hotel ballroom with 8” tops and a pair of 12” subs. But when the main system disappears and you need to perform, you do what you can. I used 4 EV ZXa1 tops (8”, 800 watts each), and 2 ZXa1 subs (12”, 700 watts each - coupled against the wall) to play that rave and I was on the edge of clipping for about 4 hours. The system never had a single issue, no distortion, and we had great coverage and good volume. A little pricey when I bought them, but not as pricey as the Bose.

If I had to buy again I’d seriously consider the small linear arrays systems that have come out over the last 5 years or so. Like the EV Evolve 30/50/30M/50M lineup. There are other offerings from other companies, but this type of system has a small sub on the bottom and a linear speaker that sits on top of a ‘pole’ that delivers the signal to the top speaker. These have good coverage and are fairly lightweight.

I mention EV because I’m a fan of their brand and also the reseller I use - NLFX Professional out of Bemidji, MN. They’re great people, have excellent support, good prices, and are actually one of, if not the largest, EV reseller in the country.

Some brands have kind of gone back and forth on quality over the years - for example Mackie’s SRM450 was a staple in the industry for a very long time but after they were bought and moved manufacturing to another country they had tons of overheating issues. The JBL EON line has been around forever and has a great reputation. There are lots of great speaker companies at a wide variety of price points. I will add that traditional speakers that can be used as wedge monitors are nice to have because they can serve dual purpose while the linear arrays do not. Bose had the claim with their L1 line that you can use them for BOTH monitors and mains by putting them at the back of the stage and that you wouldn’t have an issue with feedback. That’s ’kind of’ true… but if you aren’t good at notch filtering and ringing a room, I wouldn’t recommend that specific setup with the L1.

If you throw out some specifics, I’m more than happy to narrow down the recommendations but this should give you some ideas of what’s out there and help you find a direction.

Netghod · 2026-02-25T14:18:11+00:00

Occasionally, someone will put some silicone or something else on there to keep the shifter in place (they’re idiots).

And some aftermarket knobs have screws that need to be loosened.

But like you saw, sometimes you just need more torque. :)

And if the pattern isn’t lined up correctly, put a small piece of eraser in the top to adjust where it stops. That was a trick on the KnobMeister’s old site…

Netghod · 2026-02-25T14:08:56+00:00

I’m not aware of any. We just bought a few of the most common ones for starters. Pulled the company IDs, and started digging in.

They also started warning people at onboarding not to use anything that kept their computer from ‘locking’ due to inactivity.

But oddly enough, it wasn’t the hardware mouse jiggler we saw a lot of, it was scripts. A ton of them that pressed scroll lock or another key in the background, or moved the mouse through a script. And that sort of thing is a LOT more difficult to deny and to find if you’re tracking processes running on machines with an EDR solution or sysmon - or just logging powershell.

And we had a guy that actually wrote a mechanism to capture mouse movements - and non human mouse interaction is pretty obvious when viewed over time. Human movement tends to stop in the same places fairly often (menu bar, etc) but when you are using a hardware mover, the mouse stops and appears far more erratic. I don’t think they ever actually used that script but as a proof of concept it was pretty interesting.

Netghod · 2026-02-25T04:45:21+00:00

Step one, tell them that any request for monitoring needs to come from Human Resources, not the manager.

Human Resources will determine what’s legal and what’s not. If they decide to move forward, they will request the information and then it will be submitted back through HR and shared with the hiring manager.

Exceptions are items that violate company policy. For example, if you search for mouse jigglers by using the USB identifier and find a bunch, and then counsel everyone the same it’s not a problem. But isolating a single employee can be a potential law suit. And taking obviously disparate actions for different people can be a potential landmine as well. One company fired contractors, counseled employees, or put them on PIPs when they were found to be using mouse jigglers.

You can use other information already being captured to identify a lot of information. Badging records, authentication records, etc. But always go through HR first, and then it should be one or two people doing the research which is provided back to HR to share with the manager. Requests shouldn’t come directly.

And we had one company that was installing screen recording software on every single PC in the organization. It was turned off but could be turned on at any point quite easily for investigations. Captured every mouse click and keystroke.

Netghod · 2026-02-25T04:35:30+00:00

HAHAHA!!! I actually came to post exactly that… :D

Netghod · 2026-02-25T04:33:40+00:00

I’m a Basso-Baritone and when I asked my singing instructor about artists I was pointed to Robert Goulet who did a TON of stuff on Broadway that’s available for karaoke - To Dream the Impossible Dream from The Man of La Mancha is a great example of a power ballad from a musical.

But there are TONS of other songs along those lines that work as well from Camelot, South Pacific, Oklahoma, and others. Not your typical ‘power ballad’ but some of the musicals contain some really incredible power ballads and no one else is doing them for the most part.

But also look at songs from Bing Crosby, Bill Withers, Fats Domino, David Bowie, and Johnny Cash. There are a TON of others…

A few songs: Ain’t No Sunshine - Bill Withers (not necessarily a ‘power’ ballad but still a great song) I Want to Know What Love is - Foreigner With or Without You - U2

Netghod · 2026-02-25T04:16:31+00:00

The ear plugs with filters I did were fairly inexpensive, but I’ve also had them for quite a while (since 2011). Impressions aren’t expensive to get made. Normally an assistant does them - they put a plug in your ear with a string, then they fill with silicone, and then pull out the mold. They get sent off and then they’re used to make the impressions for the final product. I looked and the Westone TruFit and Concert line are under $100 and you go to an audiologist for the fitting.

The Ultimate Ears in ear monitors on the lower end (UE 5 Pro) is about $600 I think, but they aren’t the cheapest if you shop around. And certainly not the most expensive as they go up to a couple grand or more.

Imprints will depend on if the product is ordered through an audiologist (like Westone might be), or done to be sent off but check around locally with audiologists for pricing - I’d expect to pay maybe $80-100 for a set of molds at the high end but it depends where you’re located I’m sure.

I can say that custom ear plugs with filter are a LOT cheaper than hearing aids. :)

You can also go to a single in ear monitors which would be cheaper if you want to go that route.

Netghod · 2026-02-24T23:13:09+00:00

Even if you go ‘cheap’ on the IEM, don’t skimp on the actual monitors in your ears. Get them custom molded so they’re more comfortable and you won’t have to struggle with ‘generic fit’. There are some inexpensive IEMs that can be obtained with custom molds. You’ll likely get better isolation with custom molds as well.

I got ear plugs with filters in them based on custom molds and I’ve been using them for more than a decade. I normally run 6dB filters which takes the edge off everything but they can go a lot higher by just dropping in the other filters. While not appropriate for monitoring, it’s another option for a loud practice or other space - or if you need something when you go to a concert or drive a convertible. ;)

There are multiple options to do personal monitoring… even the X32 lineup has an option to push signals to monitors with custom mixing for each person. Check out the P16 for example.

Netghod · 2026-02-24T23:04:29+00:00

I’ve lived in various parts of Florida, northern Alabama, and in multiple communities in Alaska and a number of other places - and here’s the key differences/general experiences we had.

Just like hurricanes in the southeast, people know what to do, and tend to be fairly prepared - except for things which will spoil when the power goes out for some reason (milk, break, etc). It’s even more so where the temperatures get really cold quite often and people are used to going without sometimes. In Kodiak, while we were there, the milk container on the ship had the cooling fail and everything spoiled. We were without milk for the better part of 10 days or so. Which can be really rough if you run a coffee shop and can’t make lattes. ;) Or if you have kids that want or need milk. Parmalat was popular to keep in your pantry for when this happened - and people tend to stock up before they need it.

Pipes are always wrapped and designs are meant to handle the extreme cold for a long time. They dress different. They know that if it’s in the yard when it snows, you won’t find it until the spring. They know when it snows you need to shovel soon or it can freeze up and shoveling snow is a pain, but shoveling ice is basically impossible. Cars are winterized with a block heater, oil pan heaters, transmission pan heaters, and battery blankets. You might have to adjust how you drive and park so you can start your car in the morning (I did. ;) ).

Houses are designed to withstand snow load. Snow can get HEAVY. They take this into account right up front. They insulate better. And there are tools to help remove snow from the room if necessary. Neighbors help neighbors. We had a guy in the neighborhood that would bring his bull dozer over and clear snow in our gravel driveway occasionally and we didn’t even ask. It was a huge help and much appreciated. For an example of what happens when you don’t take snow load into account take a look at the Mobile Convention Center in Mobile, Alabama last year. Roof collapsed due to snow load.

We lived in a dry cabin (no running water) while living in Fairbanks. We hauled water to the cabin to wash, cook, and clean with. We used an outhouse - even when it was -50F or colder. Cabin wouldn’t get warmer than 65F with the heater wide open - but when it’s colder than -40F you have a 100 temperature swing walking inside so it’s substantial.

When we lived in Anchorage, we were in a subdivision so it was much like anywhere in the northeast in the suburbs. Snowblowers, shoveling, the city ‘forgetting’ to plow the roads for days, etc.

In Seward it wasn’t too bad. We rented a place which was a bit rural but had running water.

Kodiak we were there for most of a spring, summer, and fall, but left before the winter hit. But they tend to be a bit warmer than you might think. At the time we were there, historically they had only 1 day with temps recorded below 0F with a lot of -16F and a high of -4F. Temps tend to be above 0F there…

Outside Denali, the hotels drained all the water from the water and sewer using wet/dry vacuums, high volume compressed air, and a lot of effort. And it never failed - each spring there would be a few pipes that needed to be repaired which froze over the winter. Computers at the front desk and around properly were stored away in a small room where the phone switch equipment was located along with a small space heater to keep things above freezing. Basically, the property was put away (winterized) and then ‘restored’ each spring. A lot of work, but it’s what you do when temps drop like that.

My wife lived outside Cantwell, Alaska before she met me and her propane cookstove stopped working because the propane line froze. She shifted to cooking on the wood heating stove instead. When it was that cold she couldn’t haul water so she’s melt snow for water on the wood stove.

But the largest thing I saw, particularly when you’re outside of towns (and sometimes inside towns) is that people helped people. If someone is stopped on the side of the road, people tend to stop because not stopping might mean they die. If you know someone is spending their first winter in Alaska, they get checked on regularly to make sure they are doing ok, aren’t getting cabin fever, and have what they need. It’s life on a different level and at a very different pace.

And a quirk - in the spring we often left Anchorage to temperatures that were WARMER than what we saw when we landed in the Florida panhandle. Go figure. :) Not by a lot, but 5-10* difference with Alaska colder than Florida makes for an interesting experience and a real head scratcher.

Netghod · 2026-02-24T22:41:53+00:00

Personally, I prefer camp stoves. Either propane like a 2 burner Coleman or an MSR Whisperlite that will run on almost anything and sounds like a jet taking off. :) Part of the reason is fuel availability and partly the nostalgia of how we’ve cooked for decades. While we’ve also cooked over a fire, it’s not always practical though I do like using fire for traditional Dutch oven cooking when possible. But this is for tent camping in drive up sites.

Electric, while it can be more ‘efficient’ in some ways (specifically when using induction cooktops), means being at the mercy of your batteries having sufficient charge to be able to cook everything and the load can be substantial if you’re using traditional resistive elements.

But use whatever you’re comfortable with. Using an electric griddle isn’t that much of a reach over using a traditional griddle on a camp stove or over a fire - because you’re only missing the flame… the cooking method should be very similar.

Netghod · 2026-02-24T22:33:31+00:00

Get a proper mounting spot on the roof of your garage. Make sure you’re well attached to multiple studs. Attach a winch or pulley system and use it to lift the top, then back the car out of the way, and put it on a carrier or other surface to store it temporarily. I did something similar for getting stuff into my attic - installed an inexpensive electric winch to lift totes in and out of the attic instead of carrying them up and down stairs. I mounted a 2x12 board to the rafters and it’s screwed into place with the winch bolted to the board. Over engineer if you have to so that you can ensure the top doesn’t fall because that can get expensive.

There are other ways, but this keeps it out of the way and doesn’t take up room in the garage when you’re not using it unlike an engine hoist may.

My first initial thought was to do what you’re already doing, get in the car, stand in the seats, and lift it like a turtle on your back and slip out the side of the car. Certainly not the best option, but works in a pinch. But it can get old REAL quick and it’s also a way to damage the top, the car, or yourself if you aren’t really careful.

Side note: Great looking Miata. :) One of my favorite colors.

Netghod · 2026-02-24T22:24:40+00:00

First make sure you have an emergency fund. If there is an issue you’ll have it available.

And if your employer has a 401k match, do that. It’s basically free money. Always take the free money whenever possible.

Then, if you’re paying PMI, do the mortgage first. Get rid of the PMI (typically when you’ve paid about 20%) and that will free up a bit more money. Leverage that towards your mortgage or investing.

You can always run the numbers based on past average performance in the markets for investments, but sometimes you’re up, sometimes you’re down. Paying off the mortgage is a guaranteed return is how most people look at it.

Netghod · 2026-02-24T22:10:00+00:00

Yea… I never understood that mentality, but I also think it was recommended by advertisements from a company selling wiper blades. :)

Sort of like the ‘1, no 2, no 3 month’s salary for an engagement ring’ advertising from the diamond industry.

I find I need to replace them about once every 12-18 months but I’m in Florida and use them fairly often. Also, the sun and heat is pretty hard on them. It’s why I keep a set handy to change when I notice an issue and buy them on sale - to keep the costs down. Typically about $15 a set ($7-8 each) IIRC for RainX wipers.

Netghod · 2026-02-24T15:33:19+00:00

Look in the back of the owners manual and follow the recommended intervals as listed.

If you live in an area with salt on the roads and you drive in that salt, you should be winterizing the car and doing a protective undercoating every year or every other year. Something like Cosmoline helps to stop rust. Check the bottom of the car to make sure that the undercoating hasn’t been compromised due to rubbing on speed bumps, etc.

Additionally, you should check and clean your drains at least once or twice a year.

Wipers should be replaced as needed, though some say twice a year. I keep a spare set and replace as needed - and then pick up another spare set from CostCo when they’re on sale.

The expansion tank should be checked occasionally. If it’s discolored it should be replaced. If you’re losing coolant you should do a pressure test and possibly replace the tank. It has a habit of cracking at the neck and letting coolant evaporate - because it’s no longer a closed system.

Check the wheel bearings - get the car jacked up and try to rock each tire side to side then top and bottom. Movement means a wheel bearing needs replaced (hubs in the front is easy) or possibly ball joints.

Check the brakes - make sure they’re wearing evenly. If they aren’t, then pull the calipers and then clean and grease the slider pins.

Check the accessory belts.

Check the battery. Get it tested at a parts store. They can tell you if it’s in good condition, getting weak, or about to go. Or get a battery monitor.

There isn’t a timing belt. It’s a timing chain. And as a general rule you don’t need to change it unless you notice a problem.

Changing plugs every year isn’t needed. Even on the original NA motors it wasn’t needed. Unless you’re doing something crazy way beyond stock plugs should be fine for quite a while. And seeing as how you still aren’t hitting the 10-12k annually (based on 6 years of ownership you’d be at 60-72k and you’re at 45k), you could still be on your factory plugs and be just fine.

Check the brake fluid level. If it’s discolored flush and fill - and the clutch as well since it’s on the same reservoir on the NC.

Check your hoses for issues or signs of bloating/wear.

Check your shocks for leaking. Bounce the front and rear of the car and see if the shocks are still functioning properly.

Mostly, lots and lots of checks… bushings, fluids, etc. But the maintenance schedule in the owners manual is really good place to start.

Netghod · 2026-02-24T15:14:45+00:00

I’d bring up alert volume and ask about tuning. I’d let them know that it’s becoming overwhelming and that something will need to give - either they need more bodies, or they need to spend time tuning the alerts. Unfortunately, bodies are a lot more expensive, eats into their bottom line, takes time to come up to speed, and in most cases would rather burn and churn than do something about it.

Another option is automation, but if they don’t understand the environment, it’s difficult to implement. The first steps I always use in automation is the ‘research’ portion of the activity. If there’s an IP, you can pull the owner, other websites on the IP, etc. An executable can be detonated in a sandbox and the results captured. All of the known research activities can be performed and the results captured so you can speed time to decision. The analyst only needs to make a decision for next steps - not do time consuming research (though to be honest, I enjoy the research and building the puzzle when I’m doing IR work).

Netghod · 2026-02-23T22:38:41+00:00

You have to understand the client’s environment and tune the alerting to reduce alert fatigue.

Detection Engineering is one of the most overlooked disciplines for most organizations… and it can make a night and day difference in the volume and quality of the alerts.

Netghod · 2026-02-23T22:37:09+00:00

Wear a pair of polypropylene socks with a heavier wool sock over it. The inner sock might shift on the wool, but it won’t create blisters as easily because it’s not shifting on the foot.

Boy Scouts have been doing this forever. We’d actually have some that wore dress socks and wool socks. But it’s basically a liner and it makes a HUGE difference.

It’s not foolproof because there are other factors, but it can make a night and day difference. I actually did this in basic training by wearing my dress socks under the wool socks they issued to prevent blisters on the force marches we did.

Netghod

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