RE: Security and the Under 30 User

[net sec consule <netseccon () yahoo com>]

Thanks to everyone for their replies.

Please let me clarify a few things.

I agree that almost everyone has a lot of resistance
to security. However, I find that the old crowd tends
to be  more compliant and only grumble a little, but
in general go along with policy. The under-30 crowd is
where I constantly see the problem: They don't grumble
and then comply, they loudly object and rebel. The old
crowd generally appears to value their jobs, but I
find the younger crowd often has the attitude "If I
can't get my way around here, take this job and shove
it!". That is the biggest difference I see, outright
defiance on the part of the younger worker. I see this
in just about every one of my clients.

Without question, but biggest concern I have about the
under-30 crowd is their not caring about privacy. This
really concerns me as it does not bode well for the
future of a democratic society. I am also concerned
about the "screwing the big corporations doesn't
impact me" attitude. After all, anything that makes it
more expensive to do business increases everyone's
cost of living.

About the client with the under-30s quiting because
they had social networking taken away. Each employee
signs twice a year an agreement that includes that
computers and communications equipment (telephones,
company cell phones, etc.) are for official company
business only and usage may be monitored without
further notice. Computer login screens repeat the
notice every time someone signs in. The company has an
established history of docking paychecks for non
business cell phone use, suspending employees without
pay for trying to bypass computer security, spending
time on social network sites, and firing employees who
visit porn and other inappropriate sites. The company
has always prohibited cameras in the work place and
has prohibited personal cell phones in the work place
for several years. IM was blocked a few years back
when it started becoming a malware source. Social
networking sites have always been against policy, but
it was not until they were blocked that outright
rebellion occurred. The employees who quit knew they
were violating company policy but chose to ignore it
and those that got caught and suspended usually quit
the company. I should also point out that this was not
some low wage sweat shop. Most employees are college
grads and make $75K to $100K per year or more in a
market where the average family income is less than
$40K per year.

Thanks to all for your feedback. I think I have a
little better understanding of the attitude. I wish I
knew what to do about the selfish and antisocial
attitudes as this is obviously a problem that is not
going away.


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