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I've mentioned it before, but I'm going to briefly overview my company's security policy regarding spam, viruses, etc. When we get complaints that spam is coming from a particular connection, we got through a multi-step process, broken up with a sort of "progressive discipline" approach, to inform you that your computer is crapping the network.
Offense 1
This happens to a lot of people, actually, including yours truly. You THINK your connection is secure, but apparently it's not because your computer has contracted some sort of trojan program, possibly even associated with a virus, that is opening ports and rapidly spamming through them. As it is our responsbility to protect our network, we file the information in a ticket, note your account, and send you an intimidating letter.
When people call up about this, I inform them that they need to make sure their anti-virus software is up to date, that their firewall is up and running, etc. If they start drooling all over themselves on the call, I become specific as to why they need to protect their computer and what future offenses hold for them. Otherwise, these are relatively simple calls.
Offense 2
By this point, the customer has been warned, but either has not bothered taking action, hasn't taken enough action, or the problem is malicious enough that simple scanning wasn't enough and they'll probably have to do a system restore or worse. In any case, I warn them EVERY TIME what will happen next if they can't manage to secure their connection. They whine, but eventually give.
Offense 3
Now you've gone and done it...24 hour disablement. Further, you have to read over a security agreement, sign the last page, and turn in the last page either via fax or at a local office. A LOT of people get pissy about this...but it's 24 hours. No biggie. In any case, I'm still very strict about telling them about the next step. It's rare that they get to the next step, but seeing as I just had a customer on the line bitching about it a second ago...
Offense 4
TWO WEEK DISABLEMENT. That's right...and yeah, it sucks. I've only had two customers the entire time I've worked here that have had this. And yes, they're rightfully pissed about it, but at the same time...two weeks? Yeah, that's more than enough time to secure everything so that you never EVER have to go to the final offense...
Offense 5
Termination. Do not pass go. Game over, man.
In any case, I had a customer call up who had a 2 week disablement...but had only been off for 3 days...
Me: "X Company security, this is Sage."
SC: "Yeah, uh, I wanted to get my Internet turned back on."
Me: "Sir, you were disabled on the 7th for a 2 week disablement. I'm afraid I can't do that."
SC: "But...I got a new computer!"
Me: "That may be, however, you have a 2 week disablement. I'm sorry."
SC: *GROAN*
What was this guy thinking? What, that we disable your connection because we don't like you? Come on. We disable your connection for a variety of reasons (some of which we'd never admit, but there you go)...
1. Obviously you didn't get it by the first two times. For this guy, not even by the third.
2. Again, we have a responsibility to protect our network. That does not mean each individual computer, as that's YOUR responsibility, but our network as a WHOLE.
3. If all we did was send out notices, nobody would care.
4. Because we really don't like you!
Okay, so scratch the last one, but you get the idea. It's nigh impossible to completely secure your connection (besides completely disconnecting from the Internet), but at least TRY, people.
Offense 1
This happens to a lot of people, actually, including yours truly. You THINK your connection is secure, but apparently it's not because your computer has contracted some sort of trojan program, possibly even associated with a virus, that is opening ports and rapidly spamming through them. As it is our responsbility to protect our network, we file the information in a ticket, note your account, and send you an intimidating letter.
When people call up about this, I inform them that they need to make sure their anti-virus software is up to date, that their firewall is up and running, etc. If they start drooling all over themselves on the call, I become specific as to why they need to protect their computer and what future offenses hold for them. Otherwise, these are relatively simple calls.
Offense 2
By this point, the customer has been warned, but either has not bothered taking action, hasn't taken enough action, or the problem is malicious enough that simple scanning wasn't enough and they'll probably have to do a system restore or worse. In any case, I warn them EVERY TIME what will happen next if they can't manage to secure their connection. They whine, but eventually give.
Offense 3
Now you've gone and done it...24 hour disablement. Further, you have to read over a security agreement, sign the last page, and turn in the last page either via fax or at a local office. A LOT of people get pissy about this...but it's 24 hours. No biggie. In any case, I'm still very strict about telling them about the next step. It's rare that they get to the next step, but seeing as I just had a customer on the line bitching about it a second ago...
Offense 4
TWO WEEK DISABLEMENT. That's right...and yeah, it sucks. I've only had two customers the entire time I've worked here that have had this. And yes, they're rightfully pissed about it, but at the same time...two weeks? Yeah, that's more than enough time to secure everything so that you never EVER have to go to the final offense...
Offense 5
Termination. Do not pass go. Game over, man.
In any case, I had a customer call up who had a 2 week disablement...but had only been off for 3 days...
Me: "X Company security, this is Sage."
SC: "Yeah, uh, I wanted to get my Internet turned back on."
Me: "Sir, you were disabled on the 7th for a 2 week disablement. I'm afraid I can't do that."
SC: "But...I got a new computer!"
Me: "That may be, however, you have a 2 week disablement. I'm sorry."
SC: *GROAN*
What was this guy thinking? What, that we disable your connection because we don't like you? Come on. We disable your connection for a variety of reasons (some of which we'd never admit, but there you go)...
1. Obviously you didn't get it by the first two times. For this guy, not even by the third.
2. Again, we have a responsibility to protect our network. That does not mean each individual computer, as that's YOUR responsibility, but our network as a WHOLE.
3. If all we did was send out notices, nobody would care.
4. Because we really don't like you!
Okay, so scratch the last one, but you get the idea. It's nigh impossible to completely secure your connection (besides completely disconnecting from the Internet), but at least TRY, people.
FAIL.
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