Tell HN: Cursor exposes side projects to your employer

35 pointsby throwawaybbbbbb3 months ago14 comments

giantg23 months ago
"If you're using Cursor with a company (teams, enterprise) subscription, information of all your code commits is sent to their API."
Yeah... get your own personal subscription. Creating side projects on company resources could lead to ownership disputes - you could lose it to your company.
- tyleo3 months ago
  Agreed with this point. I try to separate everything possible from my company with multiple accounts. It’s annoying, sure, but you’ve got to protect yourself.
  - giantg23 months ago
    I won't even connect my cell phone to the company wifi. Anyone concerned about the surveillance state or big tech and privacy would likely do the same as they can be very invasive.
codegeek3 months ago
"If you're using Cursor with a company (teams, enterprise) subscription, information of all your code commits is sent to their API."
Good. As much as we are all privacy freaks, if you are using company resources to do your own side projects, it is fair that the company should have visibility to it. Otherwise, get a separate personal subscription.
Note that you should not only have a separate subscription to things like cursor for non company work, you should also have a separate laptop/machine for doing anythng non company. One of the reasons why so many companies are cracking down on remote work is due to these types of violations in addition to other things.
Iolaum3 months ago
Am I wrong in understanding you were using the company account with the enterprise subscription while you were working on those side projects? Or were you using a different account?
- binsquare3 months ago
  Sounds like he was using a company account? In that case, the default is always to expect that the company will see everything including personal projects.
  - nis0s3 months ago
    Uh, no? I don’t think that’s a thing in any JetBrains IDE, unless I am mistaken.
    bloppe3 months ago
    Does your employer provide you with a laptop? In that case you should assume they have access to the hard drive at least.
    nis0s3 months ago
    Oh, that’s a different scenario. I would never do personal work on someone else’s laptop. But I think what’s being described in this case is that if you use this IDE, even on a personal machine where your license is from another source, then your personal data is somehow exposed to others.
    binsquare3 months ago
    Would we agree with this statement?: if you use a tool licensed by your company your work still belongs to the company.
    nis0s3 months ago
    Maybe you’re right, in this case it’s like if a plumbing company loans out plumbers tools. You’re not necessarily allowed to use loaned tools for personal work, but in that case it’s usually due to degradation. I am not sure that applies to digital tools. It’s an interesting question.
- 3 months ago
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speedgoose3 months ago
If you can’t trust your company with your side projects, you should perhaps not do side projects on your company provided computer and AI subscriptions.
suobset3 months ago
This is why please have a personal account and personal devices for anything that does not relate to your company or work. This is super critical.
Heck I'd often carry 2 devices if I was traveling, there's no way in hell I would use company laptops. Anything I did on my work Mac, I assumed everyone relevant at work can access into. Kandji already hands over a ton of data wrt this, and I am sure every other MDM solution does too.
You gave your consent when you got the work device and probably signed a document/stated that this was to only be used for work purposes.
iExploder3 months ago
Legal and HR department would like to have a word.
muzani3 months ago
Well, they are paying for the tokens, so it's only fair. If you were on the company phone, they should see who you're calling.
ifh-hn3 months ago
I find it hard to see how this isn't user error? Don't use company hardware and software... Problem solved.
greekcoder3 months ago
If you're good to your job and your manager find out you're building a side project, they may think you prepare to leave so you might take a salary raise for not leaving. Let's take the risk and continue using company's AI accounts, they are Free!
kylehotchkiss3 months ago
Software developers should generally have their own computers that aren't wired into company subscriptions. M-Series MacBook Air is really all most people could ever need.
satvikpendem3 months ago
Well yeah, you're using company hardware and software for personal use, of course they'd be able to see.
al_borland3 months ago
Why are you using your company account for personal projects?
- 3 months ago
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bitbasher3 months ago
Cursor didn't expose it, you did when you decided to use Cursor. You're using an editor that is owned by a company with analytics built in. You're handing over your data.
Stop using company hardware, software and subscriptions to do _anything_ personal.
- atrettel3 months ago
  Yes, this is the right answer. Compartmentalization is a basic principle in security. I never do anything personal on company hardware and vice versa. I keep both separate. It just makes things so much easier to manage in the long term.
- GenericDev3 months ago
  [dead]
zemakasi3 months ago
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