Here at the library, all staff
computers are the property of the library. No staff member are allowed to log
on as an administrator! Not even our technology manager or the library
director. Only the Network Administrator and his Assistant are allowed to
logon as administrators for the reason you have described.
Even though your staff think of
the computers as there’s they are not. You should very quickly develop a
policy and start enforcing it.
I don’t know if our policy
is actually in writing or not? Back when we started our network the library
management team was opposed to putting any staff policies in any writing.
From: Library NT
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Heckbert Jr, Richard W.
Sent: Thursday, June 10, 2010 11:48 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Staff desktop account security
Once again I turn to this list for its collective wisdom.
The university was recently the target of an orchestrated
attack on desktop machines that took us quite a while to clean up. Add to
that the recent changes in MA laws regarding personal information and we are at
a point where we need to change the way we have done things. In the past,
we’ve allowed people to run as administrators on their own machines.
Mostly to facilitate software installs and program functionality. We are
now trying to change user’s accounts to regular accounts and not have
everyone run as administrators but surprisingly and I guess not surprisingly we
are getting push back from some of the upper staff here. Does anyone have
any documented best practices where they do not allow people to run as
administrators on their own machines? If not, what is everyone doing as
far as account privilege levels on staff machines. Do you run as regular
users or do you allow them to run as administrators?
Thanks!
Rick Heckbert
Library Systems Adminsitrator
Tisch Library
35 Professors Row
Tufts University
Medford, MA 02155