Security Policies on Personal Computers

Are they coming in through a VPN? If so, who is installing the client? What about antivirus software? Make sure your policy has heavy requirements for security (and details who is responsible for buying what) and a caveat that if they develop trouble who is responsible to fix it. And my personel advice is that you keep as far away as you can. It's likely to blow up and you will get blamed. You should also go to the Discussion Center and read up on Soulrider's dilemma on who is responsible. It's an eye-opener.

Some people go through a VPN and they isntall the client themselves (but this is still new and only IT uses it - I guess you could say it's still in the testing phase), but I'm referring to people that use their personal pc's to conduct business, like they email w/their own personal email accounts or they use their own ISP to conduct business with clients. These are usually reps who work outside of thier homes and we do not provide them pc's. Should our elec policy encompass them even if they're using their own personal resources? They do not connect to our network however.

PS: I'm just drafting the policy for HR. Once I have drafted it, they will be responsible for reviewing it, submitting to the lawyers, distributing it, and enacting it.

I know this may sound a little odd at first sight, but:

If you drive your own car to work you have to obey the traffic laws on the way in. Once you get to work and your car is on company premises it may well be your own car but you still have toobey the company rules on parking etc..etc..etc.

I don?t see why personal IT equipment used for company business should be any different. Normal business practice should be the rule, but it has to work both ways. For instance, you don?t want your companies reps infecting your customers via e-mail viruses ? the company should think of providing AV software for it?s ?home? users. Some site licences provide for this.

In the same way the equipment (and software) and the manner in which it is used should reflect the professional image that the company expects. You would not expect a rep to turn up for a critical meet wearing jeans and a pair of sandels!

Hope this gives you food for thought in a few different directions!

Regards,

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