Replaced by Outsourcing -- What's a Geek to Do? 1166
SafariShane asks: "Yesterday I was fired from my position as 'Network Security Analyst' from a financial institution. I was pushed out by a 3rd party vendor, who labeled me the major security risk, after performing a 'vulnerability assessment.' At the time, I thought a vulnerability assessment of our network was a good idea, but in retrospect, it occurs to me that this company, who's other product is 'Outsourced Network Monitoring and Intrusion Detection' may pull this little trick everywhere they go. Has this happened to any other network security folks out there. Does anyone know if this is a common practice, and what's a geek to do if they find out a 3rd party assessment is on the way? If this happens again at another institution, should I just start polishing my resume right away?" Here's a question I always wish I could ask managers, whenever the topic of 'outsourcing' comes up: if dealing with programmers overseas is more appealing to the bottom line, why not let your programmers work from home for 50-80% of their current in-office pay? For those of you who feel the threat of Outsourcing breathing down your neck, what are you doing to try and stay in your current job, or even in this current market?
"Here comes the obligatory South Park reference:
- Perform Network Vulnerability Assessment
- ?
- Profit! (Sell Outsourced product)
I wouldn't even dream up the above situation, except that when the assessment was done, all results were hidden from me. The company presented the results not to the geeks that can interpret them, but directly to the executives that still think 'Clippy' is a great product.Label anyone who is responsible for network security as the risk, and get them fired.
I'll also note, because people will ask me anyway, if there were other problems. In my year on the job, there was only 1 network intrusion: Welchia, which was contained in twenty minutes. Anyone familiar with Welchia will know that it is no easy task. I was never reprimanded for anything. In fact, I received a 12.5% raise only two months ago for job performance.
I doubt what they did was illegal, but it's bad business at best. Here is a group of network security geeks, who get other network security geeks fired, so they can increase their bottom line.
I'd like to hear comments from folks this has happened to, and what did you do as a result?"
What's good for the goose is good for the gander.. (Score:5, Funny)
Problem solved.
Executives are not safe either... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Easy solution (Score:4, Funny)
A martyr complex and a superiority complex, all in one. Neat.
What's a Geek to Do? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Sorry, something doesn't sound right. (Score:4, Funny)
From the second sentence of the story:
Reading between the lines, it seems that a 3rd party vendor labelled him a major security risk. But I'm just guessing.
Nice network you've got here, Colonel... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Easy solution (Score:4, Funny)
Wow.. this is some really good advice. If I were any of you, I'd listen to this guy, he really knows what he's talking about..
Now, would you hurry up and fix me my double tall latte??
---
You can get more of what you want with a kind word and a gun than you can with just a kind word.
-- Bumper Sticker
Re:I don't trust you (Score:3, Funny)
Re:What's good for the goose is good for the gande (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Ummm... get a new job (Score:5, Funny)
Oh well shit, is that all it takes? I've been going about this all wrong!
I'm gonna get a pony too, while I'm out getting things. Anyone else want something?
Re:And then get arrested, convicted... (Score:1, Funny)
There's a prison where people get to pound you in the ass? Uh.. I'm not touching this one with a 5 foot pole, or any pole let alone any pole I'd have my hands on...
They have scooby doo in india (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Maybe it's time for the technocratic war to beg (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Maybe it's time for the technocratic war to beg (Score:1, Funny)
Re:What's a Geek to Do? (Score:3, Funny)
The directors of the firm hired to continue the outsourcing after the other people had been sacked, wish it to be known that they have just been sacked.
Re:What I would do. (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Two Words for unemployed techies: Pharmacy Scho (Score:2, Funny)
Yeah, there's a great idea. I can just see it now:
All techies go to Pharmacy school. That way, when we're up late at night coding for a client, we know how to mix our own Phenylbarbital [online-med...ionary.org] to keep us awake.
Better yet -- All techies get their RPh, and that way the entire Pharmacy market is flooded. Hey, I'll work for the same $50k/yr as a Pharmacist as I did when I was a Manager of IT. Lower the bar in that industry. Before you know it, your local Walgreens will be outsourcing the Pharmacy to a bunch of $9/hr 'pretty proficient in English' individuals.
Let's take it a step further... All techies become MDs. Heck, after six years of school and internships and rotations, I hear MDs make over $100K/yr! Flood that industry with h4x0r5 so the next time you have a nail stuck in your ass it can be removed by the techieMD who was up all last night working on developing the next DDoS against the RIAA's website. Hrmpf!
Do YOU really want YOUR techie to be a RPh?
I think not.
Re:I don't trust you (Score:2, Funny)
Re:DUH (Score:3, Funny)
Are other countries daring them to create jobs?
Re:What's good for the goose is good for the gande (Score:1, Funny)
And Bush STILL won...pretty amazing.
Re:Maybe it's time for the technocratic war to beg (Score:3, Funny)
And I'm sure that cheerleader from highschool is suddenly going to realize that, after all these years, she wants you.
Re:Maybe it's time for the technocratic war to beg (Score:4, Funny)
Re:What's good for the goose is good for the gande (Score:2, Funny)
Re:What's a Geek to Do? (Score:5, Funny)
Two hunters are out in the woods when one of them collapses. He doesn't seem to be breathing and his eyes are glazed. The other guy whips out his phone and calls the emergency services. He gasps: "My friend is dead! What can I do?" The operator says: "Calm down, I can help. First, let's make sure he's dead." There is a silence, then a shot is heard. Back on the phone, the guy says: "OK, now what?"
Re:Maybe it's time for the technocratic war to beg (Score:1, Funny)
Don't ask me how I know.
Time to find another fantasy.
Hmmm...... (Score:1, Funny)
company", walk into any big business, and
conclude that the CEOs in charge are a security
risk, and needs to be replaced by members of
my own "company", including myself.
Funny, this shit never happens to CEOs or the
other big wigs at the top
Re:Can't beat 'em? Join 'em! (Score:2, Funny)
after such a botched surgery, it was all i could comfortably watch!
and i'm STILL a network admin! YAY!
Re:Can't beat 'em? Join 'em! (Score:4, Funny)
Wow, amazing!! I've been wanting a 32" TV all my life! Are you Amish or something?
Re:What's good for the goose is good for the gande (Score:1, Funny)
Re:One word: (Score:1, Funny)
Ah..that explains why nothing gets done in Europe.
Re:Maybe it's time for the technocratic war to beg (Score:3, Funny)
>Time to find another fantasy.
Dude, that IS my fantasy. All I need is to deliver pizza to her and cue the pr0n music!
Re:What's a Geek to Do? (Score:2, Funny)
Disclaimer: (before you get all crazy moderating this "offtopic" or "redundant" you need to brush up on your Python knowledge...)
Re:And then get arrested, convicted... (Score:4, Funny)
Where were you when Samir Nagonnaworkherenomore was panicing, huh? HUH?!
Re:And then get arrested, convicted... (Score:5, Funny)
If you haven't seen it, you should. It's really a very funny look at office politics and lost jobs.
Unfortunately, for many people, it's not in the comedy section of the video store. It's in the documentary section.
Re:And then get arrested, convicted... (Score:4, Funny)
I've been reading /. for 5 years, and I haven't seen Office Space. Then again, I have a girlfriend too.
That's funny because I was going to suggest that the reason for correllation was indeed causation. In other words the slashdotters who did not see Office Space had girlfriends, and therefore were watching some chickflick instead. :)
Re:And then get arrested, convicted... (Score:5, Funny)
Yea, I learned that from the spiderman movie, too.
Re:And then get arrested, convicted... (Score:5, Funny)
I don't know how many times I've said this, but I served eight years in Federal prison and the incidence of rape is much lower than the news media (including /.) would have you believe (at least if you're over forty and not terribly attractive...heh, heh).
Well, thanks for dashing our hopes about the future of the SCO executives.
Re:Maybe it's time for the technocratic war to beg (Score:3, Funny)
He he. What a wonderfully pompous post! But I take your point about the social cohesion thing.
If we bring it down to a different level though, I've sometimes wondered whether our CEO has ever woken up in the middle of the night and thought "Shit! I own this company, but the Ops Manager knows the root passwords to ALL our systems... and I don't!"
Maybe I'll show him your post one day if I see him hanging around the server room looking nervous. It might calm him down.
How secure are they really? (Score:2, Funny)
2. Make it your life long mission to make sure the company doesnt succeed in any way.
3. Send them LOTS OF PORN!
4. Find a new job.
I got bumped out of a job a few months ago decided that if I couldnt beat to join them. I started my own tech firm and consult to small businesses and individuals. Im making more money now than I ever did working for someone. Its suprising how equip, software and hourly rates add up to a lot of money coming in. Good luck, I feel your pain. Rich
Is Slashdot a network security good or bad? (Score:3, Funny)