internet abuse

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Just blame the gremlins

 

I implemented WebSense to track Web browsing habits, and the managers fired two people that week.

Before I had WebSense, I had a user who got a virus. I checked her computer out to see where she got the virus from, and she was browsing MySpace pages, and sending joke and explicit e-mails to her boyfriends (plural) and her friends inside and outside the company. Checked the friends' e-mail boxes, and they were doing similarly. One got fired immediately; another had her e-mail privileges taken away for a month.

Oh yes, there are PLENTY of people who lose their jobs due to Internet abuse.

 

...installing stuff (often toolbars), playing games, streaming audio or video (bandwidth killer), instant messaging... anything NOT work related.

 

...but if you DO keep it to yourself, be prepared for what might happen WHEN (not if) your supervisor finds out you've been flagrantly disregarding company policy by using a loophole.

 

Well some good posts here!

I agree with Phoenix in that it is a managment issue, specifically a HR issue.

Basically I refer anything to my manager for action if I deem it neccessary. I let him do the running for HR if neccessary, also I avoid any potential issues - like harrassment of co-workers - or arguments with them etc. My manager is paid the big $$ let him do the work for it!

The point to consider with most organisations is the political aspect, is that young lady you busted for non-work related emails [30 times 4 Mb for example] just a boss'es golden haired girl? or is she much more?...

A whole new dimension of own risk can be involved when you tackle a manager you dont report to .. [adult content no less]. This is a stressful time - especially when they try and get your butt fired for not doing the following ... [insert pathetic PHB criticism]

- Needless to say both parties are bruised by all this..as you are ordered to discretely cover up a manager's mess...

Also if you kill every bit of non-work related stuff you might get lynched [speaking allegorically] - just keeping them guessing where and when you strike is a strong deterent, but you still have to work with and be trusted by your co-workers.

The key is to not let email and web breaches rule your day, remain bright and positive, above all you must remain professional.

 

Well they've cracked down on this at our place of work. It's been accelerated as 2 weeks ago 3 members of the helpdesk posted comments - from work - on a Newspaper's website. A very embarrassing article was produced about something that happened and those 3 people posted on the comments section and discussed very sensitive stuff!!

As a result they nearly got the bullet and we've all been banned from using the net! They're even going to compare our timesheets to the time we've been online - if found not to be done during lunch break then we're up for a verbal warning etc!

As usual the actions of the few affect all the rest of us!

 

A lot of my role at the moment involves Internet abuse investigations. We have a culture that has built up over time in which people thyinik they are basically allowed to do whatever they want online - despite it not being permitted by our AUP.

Admittedly, this has been because our filtering software hasn't been working properly for some time, but now that I've sorted it out I am getting an inordinate amount of people attempting to bypass the filters. For instance, just today - my first day back in the country after a couple of weeks off, I trawled through the logs and found a user trying to creep through anonymous proxies and set up SSH tunnels to their home PC to bypass the filtering restrictions. Instant P45 - right there.

I take a zero tolerance approach to this kind of thing - not necessarily because I personally believe that shopping sites and the like should be blocked as a matter of course, but because we have a helluva lot of piss-takers who can't be trusted to limit their use and instead would spend all day long on the Net if they could get away with it.

Also, we have a very small amount of bandwidth to spare for Internet access (512k for 2500 users) and this can't be used by pillocks watching 'funny' videos on YouLube or spending two hours looking at theirs, their mum's, their mates and Uncle Tom Cobblee's houses on GoogleEarth.

Besides, these people are supposed to be working fer chrissakes. I've even had one arsehole in the past tell me that I was 'infringing his rights' by blocking his access to Job Search sites from work - like allowing him to look for jobs with other organisations using our bandwidth, our PCs and our time was an 'infringement of his rights'

 

Same here, Zeb. Do you have money in the budget for a Web filtering app? Websense is absolutely top-notch. You can block by category - those job search sites, for example. You can also allow users with a quota of time to browse certain categories.

We just got approval from the board to get it today. It helped to tell the board that we've got a few problem employees surfing potentially dangerous and pornographic sites.

 

I've started a good one
anyway in my previous companies I tried to have a Fair&Firm&Fun approach to internet use by my users and to b honest this bloke from my 1st post was really the first one to do such thing. but I think it's just a matter of everyone work ethics.

what tools are you using to monitor each user internet activity?

 

We have used NetIQ WebMarshal for 3 years now which isnt too pricey and certainly does the job. As with Websense you can create business/non business catagories, keyword scripts, quotas and full reporting.

I think its useful the users think its sh!te!

Cheers

 

Like I said... Websense.

 

Yeps - SurfControl is what we use. I like it - its nice and fine-grained enough for myu requirements and isn't as expensive as WebSense.

Don't get me wrong, I like WebSense, but its a bit overkill for what we need and costs too much. I can filter all 4000 of my users for about ten grand a year using SmurfControl - the equivalent cost for WebSense is twice as much.

 

we used tu have system called IntY. IMO good for up to 100 users

 

Used Surfcontrol at my last job, very good

 

4000 users, and it's overkill? Yeeesh. I've got 450 users. Then again, I'm in a healthcare environment, and security's becoming more and more an issue.

 

Over 4500 users with full admin control over their PC's and Websense to the fore.

Yup, I am the Websense king of my place. Any user wants anything opened, they have to make a business case with the ITSO who will then grant or deny them that particular site. I then activate or deactivate that site.

Some clever students tried to use a proxy to tunnel into their own home PC and access sites that way. heh heh As bugs said 'He dont know me too well, do he?' Their account was toast.

Problem with websense is that its default is very restrictive and can sometimes be a pain, for example to allow a single person a one off acess to a particular site for a certain amount of minutes because that is the only site they can test a particular application can be a bit of a bother. Other than that I am happy with websense.

 

I work in IT as a support tech, now you would be surprised at what you would learn from forums.....(ie, having a problem that you aint heard of??...bang the error code/message into google and i'll bet the first site that comes up is a forum!!)although i do have to say that Certforums is on our banned list @ work which is a tad Pants!!

to get back to your question though.......it sounds like the guys have pretty much hit the nail on the head....anything that is not work related constitutes abuse.....END OF!