Six workers at Public Services found to be chronic violators of document security rules
cbc.ca/news/politics/security-sweep-pspc-priv...
cbc.caPosted Sep 23, 2018, 3:26 PM UTC
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cbc.caI was cited for having a protected-when-completed form with my own information on my desk. Colleagues were cited for similar infractions. Given that’s a violation, I’m not entirely worried about these repeat offenders.
What might make more sense is categorizing infractions and scaling punishment/reporting accordingly.
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When I worked there as a student back in like 2005 we got notifications for leaving CD's on our desk. We were Desktop Support. We had CD's for every piece of software PWGSC had.
The veracity of this seemingly high number of infractions has always been highly suspect. The people that go around at night looking for them put absolutely no critical thinking into what they report.
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While true, the number of people who don’t understand (or simply ignore) basic security practices is pretty high.
Things like passwords shouldn’t be on sticky notes stuck to your monitor, for example.
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Things like passwords shouldn’t be on sticky notes stuck to your monitor, for example
Given the absolutely data-free silliness about government password generation and frequently they need to be changed, I have no sympathy whatsoever for this policy. We're now required to have a minimum of 4 and possibly as many as 6 different passwords we have to change at different intervals. This is just for employee issued devices and required management/HR web apps.
We need better solutions. Everyone I know just keeps a short list by their desk. Desktop support is as tired of having to do password resets as anyone.
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It is absolutely bonkers. I have different passwords for:
*tablet workstation
*network drives
*internet proxy
*myKey
*gcdocs
*peoplesoft
*sharepoint
*two different ITSM tools
*CMDB
*GCcollab stuff
*CSPS learning account
*Jobs.gc.ca
And probably some others I am not remembering. Without using a password manager this would be totally unmanageable.
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The new phones add more: a phone password and a knox one. So to just use the phone systems, one needs: the phone password, the Knox password, the Bell outlook password and your Entrust password. You need to enter all of these somewhat regularly (because biometrics are Just Not Secure Enough (and shame on you for asking!)), including all the required nonaphabetic characters (on a multi-valent touchscreen), and they all expire on slightly different timetables.
I am curious as to how may will have unfortunate toilet accidents in their first year of deployment, compared to the old BBs.
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I just use a good password manager. Dunno if it’s officially sanctioned or not, but I suspect it’s far better than the sticky-note method.
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I just use a good password manager. Dunno if it’s officially sanctioned or not,
Most likely not.
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4 and possibly as many as 6 different passwords we have to change at different intervals
That's it? I wish I had so few....
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Things like passwords shouldn’t be on sticky notes stuck to your monitor, for example.
Seriously. They should be stuck under the keyboard where nobody can see them.
^^/s
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No no no they should be inside the top drawer of your desk. That is the proper location for them. The amount of misinformation on this sub is really concerning.
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I write random passwords on sticky notes and put them on my monitor.
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If you keep putting them up and never take them down, then the lockout will make it increasingly unlikely that any lookyloos can crack your security!
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Security through obscurity!
(/me waits for the security types to have a fit now.... )
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As someone who works in help desk the amount of computers I see just unlocked while they leave to go to the washroom or such amazes me
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I got a USB key (non-government) at a fair and left it on my desk and got a notice for that...
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People print and hoard too much.
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So much effort is being made on security that it becomes impossible to do the job efficiently.
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I keep asking for a drawer I can lock since my ancient desk (not even meant for computers and clearly not office 2.0) and pointed out I don't have anywhere to secure protected information, and they keep saying they don't have the budget. I've saved all the e-mails in case this happens.