IT folks aren’t exactly rare, but really great ones are. With every business from Mom and Pop’s Supermarket to the Fortune 100 guys looking for educated, skilled, talented IT personnel, those who know their stuff and do good work are in high demand, and aren’t likely to get the boot. But there are still a few pathways that lead directly to a pink slip and win you a free ticket to the unemployment office. Avoid these big goofs so that your IT job is safe and secure, just like the systems you guard.
1. Keeping the Same Password Forever and Ever Amen
The password you used to access the college intranet probably isn’t okay to use to access the network via an administrative account. It’s okay to change passwords (and socks) now that the home team won that game back in 1998, though it was definitely your lucky password (and socks) that got them through.
How long has it been since you changed your admin password? A year? Ten years? This is a recipe for disaster, especially if you have ever, at any point in your natural life, shared this password with anyone else for any reason whatsoever. Change your password once a month, and if you do have to share it to get something done, change it immediately afterward. A sticky note whirling around with an admin password written on it is like a loaded gun aimed straight at your career.
2. Using Your Business Password for Other Websites
Speaking of the irresponsible use and abuse of passwords, do you use your business password to log into your Gmail account or post to your personal Twitter feed? Unfortunately, websites get hacked and those incidents don’t always make the national news. Use a separate, more secure password for your work. Though it should go without saying, never have a file on your computer named “Passwords”. If you have to store a document with your passwords, use a completely unrelated term to name the file, such as “Bills” or “Things to Do With Lichen Cheese”.
3. Disabling the Firewall and Forgetting About It
Security consultants who get called in to clean up and collect forensic evidence after a data breach say that it’s surprising how often this one happens. IT workers are troubleshooting a problem and “temporarily” disable the firewall. Then they find the problem, fix the problem, and leave the firewall disabled. Don’t be that guy. Don’t even be that gal.
4. Using Actual Data for a Test
Test data isn’t guarded with the same care that actual data is. Using real data in a test is a recipe for it getting into the wrong hands and causing big trouble for both you and your organization. The company will probably live through it, but your career ….
Test data doesn’t matter, does it? You can use any old data for a test, so why not make things easy on yourself and plop in some actual real world data? Well, the thing about test data is that it gets shoveled around a lot. People get access to test systems that don’t get access to real systems. Test data gets printed out, emailed, screen shot, and generally distributed to the bulk of the developed world. Never use real data for a test, because doing so and getting caught could put you in violation of compliance regulations (aka, the long arm of the law) in addition to costing you your job. Of course, attendance might be problematic if you’re behind bars.
5. Invading the Privacy of Others
Did you sneak a peek at the top secret report, or perhaps pry into a coworker’s personal documents? This is a good way to land in a bad way on the job. Invading the privacy of others, at best, will cost you the respect and trust of your coworkers. At worst, it will land you in line for a small weekly check from the state.
What do good IT workers do to keep their jobs? One regular habit of gainfully employed IT pros is a good backup plan and a regular policy for backing up key systems. Backbox can help. Learn more about Backbox today.