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Posted by Ben on June 15, 2007, 5:51 am
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Hi,
We've found some of our users have installed computer games with
network/online capabilities (i.e. Guild Wars). Personally I don't think
games such as these should be installed on our business machines, but the
users are saying they should be allowed, as long as they don't play them
during work time, but only at home, or in evenings when staying in a hotel
when working away from home. I'm trying to add a section to our company
computer policy explaining why they are insecure, but I've been told that
saying 'because they are not secure' is not a good enough explanation, so I
need some concrete reasons why they are not secure. All I've got so far is
that ports may need to be opened in a firewall, which might allow other
'unwanted' traffic through, & the software might contain spyware.
Does anyone have any more reasons I can provide for blocking installation of
network games? I've tried googling for web sites, but can't find much, so if
anyone has a site, I'd be most grateful!
Many thanks
Ben
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Posted by Tom Willett on June 15, 2007, 8:57 am
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You are telling us that your company is being controlled by the employees?
Shouldn't it be the other way around? If the company says no on company
owned equipment, it shouldn't have to justify its reasons. Make your policy
simple enough to understand: No software will be installed on the machine
without the prior approval of __________________, IT department, management,
etc. Persons who violate the company usage policy are subject to
disciplinary action, up to and including termination. Then spell out the
disciplinary possibilities.
It works for us.
| Hi,
|
| We've found some of our users have installed computer games with
| network/online capabilities (i.e. Guild Wars). Personally I don't think
| games such as these should be installed on our business machines, but the
| users are saying they should be allowed, as long as they don't play them
| during work time, but only at home, or in evenings when staying in a hotel
| when working away from home. I'm trying to add a section to our company
| computer policy explaining why they are insecure, but I've been told that
| saying 'because they are not secure' is not a good enough explanation, so
I
| need some concrete reasons why they are not secure. All I've got so far is
| that ports may need to be opened in a firewall, which might allow other
| 'unwanted' traffic through, & the software might contain spyware.
|
| Does anyone have any more reasons I can provide for blocking installation
of
| network games? I've tried googling for web sites, but can't find much, so
if
| anyone has a site, I'd be most grateful!
|
| Many thanks
|
| Ben
|
|
|
|
Posted by Ben on June 15, 2007, 10:26 am
If you were Registered and logged in, you could reply and use other advanced thread options > You are telling us that your company is being controlled by the employees?
> Shouldn't it be the other way around? If the company says no on company
> owned equipment, it shouldn't have to justify its reasons.
Personally I agree, however when its the senior sales director who goes away
to conferences/seminars for up to a week at a time, and has to spend
evenings in a hotel, so he decides to install some computer games that he
can play online. Then when we find out, and tell him to remove it, he goes
to 'higher authority', and says "explain to me exactly why I can't have it",
it gets complicated!
> Make your policy
> simple enough to understand: No software will be installed on the machine
> without the prior approval of __________________, IT department,
> management,
> etc. Persons who violate the company usage policy are subject to
> disciplinary action, up to and including termination. Then spell out the
> disciplinary possibilities.
Our current policy is sililar, "The company's computer systems are in place
for company use only. Misuse or abuse of the computer system could lead to
disciplinary action. Permission from the technical department must be sought
before installing ANY hardware or software."
Its there, people have had hard copies to read & keep, and signed a form to
say they agree! But, who is going to disciplin a senior sales director that
makes the company £100,000s a year!
I had a similar issue at a previous company, Managing Director said 'it
should be company policy that all workstations have company branded
desktops, no other backgrounds except the company logo...all except mine
that is, as I like to have backgrounds of scantly clad ladies on my
desktop!'
>
> It works for us.
>
> | Hi,
> |
> | We've found some of our users have installed computer games with
> | network/online capabilities (i.e. Guild Wars). Personally I don't think
> | games such as these should be installed on our business machines, but
> the
> | users are saying they should be allowed, as long as they don't play them
> | during work time, but only at home, or in evenings when staying in a
> hotel
> | when working away from home. I'm trying to add a section to our company
> | computer policy explaining why they are insecure, but I've been told
> that
> | saying 'because they are not secure' is not a good enough explanation,
> so
> I
> | need some concrete reasons why they are not secure. All I've got so far
> is
> | that ports may need to be opened in a firewall, which might allow other
> | 'unwanted' traffic through, & the software might contain spyware.
> |
> | Does anyone have any more reasons I can provide for blocking
> installation
> of
> | network games? I've tried googling for web sites, but can't find much,
> so
> if
> | anyone has a site, I'd be most grateful!
> |
> | Many thanks
> |
> | Ben
> |
> |
>
>
|
|
Posted by Tom Willett on June 15, 2007, 10:32 am
If you were Registered and logged in, you could reply and use other advanced thread options
If senior Management won't support you, good luck.
| > You are telling us that your company is being controlled by the
employees?
| > Shouldn't it be the other way around? If the company says no on company
| > owned equipment, it shouldn't have to justify its reasons.
|
| Personally I agree, however when its the senior sales director who goes
away
| to conferences/seminars for up to a week at a time, and has to spend
| evenings in a hotel, so he decides to install some computer games that he
| can play online. Then when we find out, and tell him to remove it, he goes
| to 'higher authority', and says "explain to me exactly why I can't have
it",
| it gets complicated!
|
| > Make your policy
| > simple enough to understand: No software will be installed on the
machine
| > without the prior approval of __________________, IT department,
| > management,
| > etc. Persons who violate the company usage policy are subject to
| > disciplinary action, up to and including termination. Then spell out
the
| > disciplinary possibilities.
|
| Our current policy is sililar, "The company's computer systems are in
place
| for company use only. Misuse or abuse of the computer system could lead to
| disciplinary action. Permission from the technical department must be
sought
| before installing ANY hardware or software."
|
| Its there, people have had hard copies to read & keep, and signed a form
to
| say they agree! But, who is going to disciplin a senior sales director
that
| makes the company £100,000s a year!
|
| I had a similar issue at a previous company, Managing Director said 'it
| should be company policy that all workstations have company branded
| desktops, no other backgrounds except the company logo...all except mine
| that is, as I like to have backgrounds of scantly clad ladies on my
| desktop!'
|
| >
| > It works for us.
| >
| > | Hi,
| > |
| > | We've found some of our users have installed computer games with
| > | network/online capabilities (i.e. Guild Wars). Personally I don't
think
| > | games such as these should be installed on our business machines, but
| > the
| > | users are saying they should be allowed, as long as they don't play
them
| > | during work time, but only at home, or in evenings when staying in a
| > hotel
| > | when working away from home. I'm trying to add a section to our
company
| > | computer policy explaining why they are insecure, but I've been told
| > that
| > | saying 'because they are not secure' is not a good enough explanation,
| > so
| > I
| > | need some concrete reasons why they are not secure. All I've got so
far
| > is
| > | that ports may need to be opened in a firewall, which might allow
other
| > | 'unwanted' traffic through, & the software might contain spyware.
| > |
| > | Does anyone have any more reasons I can provide for blocking
| > installation
| > of
| > | network games? I've tried googling for web sites, but can't find much,
| > so
| > if
| > | anyone has a site, I'd be most grateful!
| > |
| > | Many thanks
| > |
| > | Ben
| > |
| > |
| >
| >
|
|
|
|
Posted by Straight Talk on June 16, 2007, 7:39 am
If you were Registered and logged in, you could reply and use other advanced thread options
>Our current policy is sililar, "The company's computer systems are in place
>for company use only. Misuse or abuse of the computer system could lead to
>disciplinary action. Permission from the technical department must be sought
>before installing ANY hardware or software."
Who authorized these policies? Who exactly is in charge of IT security
within your company?
>Its there, people have had hard copies to read & keep, and signed a form to
>say they agree! But, who is going to disciplin a senior sales director that
>makes the company £100,000s a year!
It's not unusual that policies do not reflect real life and that rules
are bent. In the end IT security is about assesing and managing risks.
If your management is ready to accept the risks there is no real
problem (as long as this is clearly stated, of course). If, however,
you have the feeling that you are the one who will get blamed if
something bad happens, you should look for a new job asap :-)
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