I remember and I am still suffering somewhat from PEST (Proper Endpoint Security Trauma). It exists, it really does. You may call it something else in your organization. Perhaps you use a more familiar term like “end-user trying to plug in a USB device on my network and completely supersede our security policy”.
I think PEST explains it a bit better since it more accurately describes the endless hours wasted both explaining that such things are not allowed. Or even better the time spent plugging all these devices into your system and putting those files “They just can’t do without” into a network share. You know the files I mean, the partner’s photos of their grandkids. That You Tube video some staff member wants to throw onto their iPod. You know important stuff like that which no doubt belongs cluttering your network. It is funny it is these same users who will complain they cannot find an actual client file.
Business do have unique needs though, I recall starting out at a firm where they would not even allow the users to pull a USB thumb drive out of their bags without everyone in the firm tackling them to preserve their precious data. One day a Senior Partner heard of another firm giving the devices to their auditors and the next thing you know we have two policies for “pluggable” devices. Hence we get the dreaded PEST proliferating throughout our network.
Of course, Group Policies go a long way to help with managing the madness. But group policies do not stop the endless stream of users from asking someone with permissions to plug in a device and move the files or “whatever” to… or dare I say it FROM your network! What if we could remotely and in real time: allow, block and even monitor (devices plugged in as well as files add or removed) and do all this from a central location.
We can with a great little tool called USB Lock RP (Remote Protect) available from Advanced Systems. USB Lock RP is endpoint security software that installs a client on each machine in your organization and gives you the power to monitor and control removable devices in your network.
USB Lock RP goes a bit further than that allowing you to receive alerts when removable devices are attached to a network PC and providing a report on the files moved to or from these devices. A centralized controller can administer over a 1000 PC’s from one location (sounds like a nice job for Jr. Admin.) After all you have better things to do like get back to your Second Life resident.
USB Lock RP not only allows you to maintain control and have flexibility. It gives you peace of mind when it comes to endpoint security and removable devices and more importantly is gets rid of PEST! You can download a 10-day trial of USB Lock RP here. Pricing starts at just under $20 per client for 10 users and is as low as $16 per client for 80 users or more.