Do What It Says

[Jay 2K Winger]

On the systems at The Client, when it comes to resetting passwords, we have certain rules to abide by. One of these rules is to not give the temporary passwords out over the phone except in one case: when resetting a password on the secure network. The reason for this is we are to send emails on the secure network with the reset passwords. Hence, if they can't get into the high-side network, we give them the reset password on the phone.

What sometimes happens for these reset passwords is the "bad" password has actually expired. So when we reset it, the user, upon logging in with the temp. password, gets a message on the lines of "your password has expired. Please go to another <network> workstation and change your password."

No, I don't know why they have to go to another workstation to do it. It's just the way the system is set up. But it's fairly simple at that point-- do what it says. Go to another workstation, log in with the temp. password given, reset your password, and you're good to go. You can then go back to your regular workstation and log in normally.

Naturally, some lusers just don't get it.

I've gotten a number of lusers I've assisted contacting me again-- phone, IM, or email-- usually for the low-side network, asking about this message, and asking what they're doing wrong, or asking why it says that, or wondering why the password I gave them "isn't working."

And I always sigh inwardly and tell them to do what it says and change their password at a different workstation.

Seriously. You people are supposed to be bright, intelligent people here at The Client. How can this be so difficult to understand?

(That's a rhetorical question, by the way.)

[Mamochan]

TBH, If people did what signs, computers, receipts, CS agents said half of the forum wouldn't even exist. Not to say that is a bad thing, I for one am all for basic literacy in regards to instructions.

[earl colby pottinger]

Security

Sounds like a simple addon security system to me. If someone logs on using an outside line they can not change the password and then mess with your system thru one terminal.

Will not stop a real spy, but this is more than enough to kill most script-kiddies.

[lordlundar]

Will not stop a real spy, but this is more than enough to kill most script-kiddies.

You'd be surprised at just how many "security measures" are put in place for little more than emotional support.

Case in point: An upgrade job I did last year had us, at the request of the customer mind you, drill three holes in the hard drive platter or cut said platter halfway through with tin snips (depending on the platter, that was no mean feat). Us techs went into the actual level of security such destruction provided (aka zilch) but the customer wanted it, so we did it.

Bear in mind, this was for a bank which let us access to any area in it where there wasn't any money unsupervised for up to 12 hours, so their concept of security was questionable at best.

[Jay 2K Winger]

Don't ask me to explain the security measures The Client has. They don't explain them to me, so I can't begin to explain them to someone else.

I have started warning some users that they may get this message. I had two callers yesterday who hadn't logged into their <'low' network> account in a while. The system didn't show their accounts as disabled for inactivity, so I reset their passwords, but warned them: "Since it's been a while since you used the account, you may get a message saying your password has expired..." and described what the message said and advised them to follow the instructions given.

I didn't get any calls back from them, so I have to assume they either did as I suggested or they're still just staring blankly at their screen. In either case, I win.

[earl colby pottinger]

Yes, really.

Don't ask me to explain the security measures The Client has. They don't explain them to me, so I can't begin to explain them to someone else.

I had a credit union give access right away to their network just because I was available.

I had paper product company make me wait three days while they did a background check before I could work on their printers.

There is no logic.

[Ironclad Alibi]

I had paper product company make me wait three days while they did a background check before I could work on their printers.

Well that makes sense. They didn't want you to configure their printers so they would print on the competition's paper.

[Jay 2K Winger]

God... honestly people, READ.

As of late, with calls like the ones in the OP, I've taken to including a note in the email I send with their temp. password. The note tells them that if they get one of those messages ("your password has expired" or "you do not have permission to change your password") to go to another workstation and change their password there.

I just helped a luser on a password reset. Included that warning in the email I sent.

She sends one back, asking what to do about the error she received-- which tells her EXACTLY what to do for that EXACT error-- asking if she's locked out or what she should do.

I sent her a reply stating "As I said in the original mail:" and copy-pasted the note I'd included.

FAKE EDIT: She just replied thanking me and saying she didn't read past the new password. So at least she admitted she hadn't read that far. But honestly...

[protege]

You'd be surprised at just how many "security measures" are put in place for little more than emotional support.

I'm sure I've posted this before... Several years back, my boss got a bit obsessive about network security. Mainly, because we'd been hacked So, I had our 3rd party tech come in, and we assigned logins and passwords to all of the computers. All were unique, in an attempt to make getting in more difficult.

That all changed when my boss came in one weekend...and decided that he needed files on one of the other machines. Rather than simply let things go until the next Monday, he decided that he needed the files immediately...and called in the 3rd party tech (at a huge cost per hour, I'm sure), and had him set all the passwords the same.

Anyone want to guess what the passwords became? He had the guy set them all...to his name. So, if anyone knows my boss, it's a sure guess that they'll have easy access into our server

[Der Cute]

Protege, he's a fuckin bonehead. Scuse me.
I once worked in a place where as soon as I was added to AD; I was made a Domain Admin. I was one step under GOD in there. I could have set fire to the setup any minute; lord that was stupid.
Plus that place used terminals and people had no idea how to save shit....aaaaaaa