I'm an intern using my personally owned laptop for work because the company did not provide me with a device. They installed SentinelOne to meet their security requirements, but it now restricts personal activities such as downloading and installing games. I also can't uninstall it myself, and the company refuses to remove it even though I own the laptop. I understand the need for security software when accessing company systems, but I'm uncomfortable with being unable to control software on my own computer. What's the safest way to handle this, and should the company provide a separate work device?
4 Answers
If a company requires a computer and security software for the job, it should provide and manage a separate work device—including for interns. Ask them to issue a company-owned laptop or provide a clear, written BYOD policy that explains what they can monitor and restrict. Until that’s resolved, avoid using your personal laptop for company work if possible.
This is also a privacy and liability issue, not just an inconvenience. Keep records of your request to have the software removed, and ask what data the agent collects and whether they can remotely wipe or control the device. If they insist on continued access to your personal laptop, consider discussing the arrangement with a supervisor, HR, or an appropriate employment adviser.
A full operating-system reset or clean installation may remove the agent, but it will erase applications and possibly your files, and some corporate management tools can reinstall themselves if the device remains enrolled. Back up personal data first and get written confirmation that the company has removed the laptop from its management systems. A separate work computer is the cleaner and safer solution.
I was also considering wiping the entire device and reinstalling Windows, but I’m not sure whether the company’s management enrollment would bring the software back.
SentinelOne is normally managed by the organization, and removing it may require an administrator-generated passcode or uninstall procedure. Ask their IT or security team to remove it properly and confirm that the device is no longer enrolled or monitored. Don’t try to bypass the protection yourself, since that could violate company policy or trigger an alert.
Would completely resetting the laptop and reinstalling Windows remove it?
They didn’t provide me with a device because I’m only an intern, which is why I started using my own laptop.