Every day a new computer virus or spyware is created. Some viruses and spywares are also “network aware” meaning that they come in on one computer through a download or an email and infect all computers on the network.  Some not only email themselves to all the email addresses in all the address books on the computer but also take files off your computer and sends them to those same email addresses.  These files could be our customer lists or accounting spreadsheets. Some viruses are designed to remove the virus programs or other forms of security.  They then have opened the door for all forms of attack from other viruses or spyware or hackers.  Some viruses infect web servers so when you go to a web site the “You need to download the following Plug-in” message is actually the virus.

The U.S. “Privacy Act” has made even more problems with security.

The computers are company property:

• They are not to be used any longer for “personal” anything!
• No more “Chat Programs” like Yahoo Messenger or AIM or Microsoft Messenger. Many of these programs allow hackers to access personal computers.
• No on-line “Chat Rooms.”
• No “Porno.” Besides being offensive to employees and customers, it could be grounds for the company to be sued. A few viruses send the computer’s Internet History to people in the address book. We would hate for customers to think all we do is surf garbage.
• No “Personal email” downloaded directly through Outlook or Netscape or AOL or going to sites like “Hotmail” or “Yahoo” to retrieve or view such email.  Email is the number one way to spread viruses. Many viruses can infect MS Outlook at the “time of retrieval”  even before they are opened.  If you are currently using your personal email for company business we need to figure out a different way. Please notify us of that.
• No “Surfing the Net” unless to a site used for company business or to obtain company information.
• No downloading of any programs from the web with the exception of updates for programs currently installed on the computer like Windows or Microsoft Office updates, Netscape updates, company purchased or lease specific programs, etc. If in doubt; ask!

Another problem is Piracy.  Piracy is a felony.  NO program can be installed on more than one computer without multiply “Licenses” of some kind, with the exception of “Freeware” or in some cases “Shareware.”  If it does not say “Freeware” then it is not.  Nothing from companies like Corel or Microsoft or Norton is ever free.
 

• Do not bring any software from home and install it on any company computer.  If you have done such on a company computer, we need to know that information before you and the company ends up in jail, regretfully “possession (or lack thereof) is nine tenths of the law.”
• Since some of the computers are leased not owned by the company, these problems become even larger.
• Do not install any programs from one company computer to any other company computer without specific permission.  This way we know we have appropriate licenses or enough copies to go around.
• Just because it came from one of our "Jobbers" or "Suppliers" does not mean it is legal for us to use.  Only “Tutorials” or “Demos” or “Training” are probably legal under our franchises.  Burned CD ROMs are almost always a message that we don’t have a software license.
• No company software is to be taken off site unless special permission is given and only then in cases of training.

If you have documents or other such items that are “important” please let us know on your personal computer and ask if they are in some kind of backup. Some programs on the computers have internal backups onto floppy disks, please do those every other day or so.

We need to start doing some simple computer maintenance.  Disk cleaner, disk defragmenter and thorough scandisk.  Directions can be read at http://www.ISCnetwork.com/maint

Please let us know of computer needs or problems.  It might be software or hardware, even some thing simple like a new mouse pad. If you are using two computers to do what one should be able to do please inform us of that too.  We did not get to where we are now over night and it will take some time to get where we really need to be.

Copyright 2006 by Butch Walker for www.ISCnetwork.com.  You may print or incorpate this page into your particular company's computer policy. It may not be reproduced or in part on any web site. Please give credit where credit is due.