I need to audit a user to see if they are using internet radio (Pandora, shoutcast, etc). Normally, I just ask them to use their computer, however I am not in the same facility as this person, so I need to know of a way that I can either monitor their workstation silently (without them knowing), or if that's not viable, log on as them, with out changing their password. I am the administrator of the domain, so I have admin privileges on that workstation.
Remote workstation is Windows XP Pro.
Have you tried VNC? I know the icon changes color and the mouse flashes a little sometimes when you're monitoring someone else's screen, but maybe they won't notice.
If you have ScriptLogic installed, they have a monitoring tool within their remote assistance client that you can choose to (or not) display a "so-and-so is monitoring your desktop."
VNC is the cheapest way to go, and if they figure out that you're monitoring randomly, maybe they'll start getting paranoid and stop doing whatever it is you don't want them to :)
On Windows - no, and thank heaven. It would be a security nightmare.
Even as admin you have NO right to know the user's password and IMPERSONATE him. This would totally destroy network security - logs showing a user's identity would mean NOTHING for ANY proof anymore. Heck, evnen your accusiation of me using some bad software - you wwould end up in court as the person having supposedly planted the software.
Alternatively:
Use Remote Desktop - have the user (this is available in XP Pro I think) ask you for support, use desktop sharing. user can see what you do, and you check the computer.