If done correctly, I think cybersecurity is a good thing. I've come across a few blocked websites over the years at work, but for the most part it has never been one I wanted to use. Usually, it was a random link to a webpage I clicked while searching for an answer to a question I had, one of many of which could have answered my question. Its difficult to create a program that perfectly understands which web pages are safe and which are not.
The larger the company, the more security breaches tend to happen as well. The municipal client that my company consults to has removed admin permissions from all user PCs, so that nothing can be installed without the consent of the IT department. This does not impact a lot of people in their day to day work, but it has impacted my group. I personally find it frustrating, but after seeing the number of user-caused security breaches in the past, I can understand why it has become necessary. For most IT departments, the promise of avoiding a virus that could corrupt or ransom your data is worth the extra frustration to their end users.
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Christopher Seigel P.E., M.ASCE
Civil Engineer
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Original Message:
Sent: 05-08-2022 11:51 AM
From: Daniel Bressler
Subject: Sowing Distrust
Shouldn't there be a level of trust that the employee won't browse the internet during work hours?
I understand that employers would not want an employee distracted during work hours. An employer can rightfully say: "If you don't go onto distracting sites then why would you care if the site is blocked?"
I'm disregarding the defense that one can use YouTube videos to try to understand a concept (before asking/bothering my manager) because I'm curious about the employer/employee relationship.
Does having blocked sites plant a small seed of distrust in an employee?
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Daniel Bressler EIT, A.M.ASCE
Structural Engineer
Brooklyn NY
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