Digital Forensics Dispatch

Prison Administrator Viewing YouTube Videos All-Day Long Abruptly Retires

May 9, 2019

CBS13 of Sacramento has reported that an administrator in the Valley State Prison system was using his state-issued, work computer during business hours to watch and access thousands of YouTube videos. State investigators reviewed the employee’s internet usage and found that within a ten-month period, the employee spent “more than minimal or incidental time viewing YouTube content.” The administrator, using his admin credentials, was able to bypass security measures in place intended to prevent users from accessing certain websites.

It is reported that from September of 2017 to June of 2018, the employee accessed at least 2,256 YouTube videos on the work computer. Based on this volume, the administrator likely had not been clearing the browser history, which even if done, may have still been recoverable. This is a classic case of employee misconduct or misuse of work-related resources. CBS13 reports that it is currently unknown how long the administrator spent viewing YouTube videos. All major web browsers do not record how long a webpage is viewed or accessed.  However, based on the volume and frequency between page visits, it is claimed that the person in question spent all day, every day during this time period, watching videos on YouTube. On one of the days, forensic analysis has found that the administrator accessed a total of fifty-five videos in one day that were unrelated to his duties. The employee in question retired before any disciplinary action was pursued.

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