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Town Clerk

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Dec 10, 2009
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You're welcome!
by: John in Columbia, SC

You're welcome, and Happy Holidays!

You can take a look at my web site if you have time. It's a speech synthesis software for those who can't sepak for themselves.

www.chipspeaking.com

Best regards,

John

Dec 10, 2009
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RE:
by: Anonymous

I have checked what I could. His icon is finally gone from my computer. I have written an amendment to the policy we have and it is being looked at by the attorney.
I can't thank you enough for your help. I have been a nervous wreck knowing I am responsible for all the records but not knowing how to protect them. I do now and I really appreciate your helping me.
Bobbi

Dec 08, 2009
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Blocking the Win 7 guy for good.
by: John in Columbia, SC

He may have established a persistent connection to your system. If you can gain administrative rights over his machine, go in and sever it (remove all shared resources he shows in "Network Connections" in Win 7 control panel, I think), then make sure Norton disallows connection requests from his system.

Also, try to find out if his system is assigned a fixed IP address, or if it is done by DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol). If it is DHCP, you may need to change that too so you can block his requests specifically.

Or block all connection requests by putting in a range of addresses in to the Norton for blocking purposes.

John

Dec 08, 2009
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icons
by: Anonymous

I will try putting it on the desktop. I have right-clicked on it every day, it always comes back the next day. My computer is the only one that has it on, which leads me to believe mine is the only one he has tried to "network" with. As for the policy, I have been working on a revision to the policy and procedure manual that we already have in place. Thank you again, for your help.

Dec 08, 2009
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Icons on the desktop vs. the network places...
by: John in Columbia, SC

If you need more detailed help, you can email me at

chipspeaking

At - replace w/ AT symbol

aol.com

join 'em up, send me your note and I'll reply confidentially.

Dec 08, 2009
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Icons and deleting them
by: John in Columbia, SC

Right click on the computer icon you want to remove. Then, you should see a delete or disconnect menu selection, if it's a remote system still showing on your computer. If it's YOUR local computer it won't allow you to delete it unless it's a shortcut on the desktop, and it won't show disconnect from networked machine or share. Also on WinXP the icon likely has a little tiny hand to the lower left of the icon, kind of like a waiter sharing a plate with you... image wise. That means it's a network shared resource.

I hope this helps.

John in Columbia, SC

Dec 08, 2009
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Icon
by: Anonymous

I still have the icon for this computer in my network places. Any way to get rid of it?

Dec 07, 2009
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Policy
by: Anonymous

Good idea! I can write the policy and see what happens. Thanks, again!

Dec 07, 2009
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If you have to force it down his throat!
by: John in Columbia, SC

Make HIM USE Norton 360!

One place I worked, I had to see to it a guy was fired because he abused the Internet connection by downloading garbage I would not describe in polite company or to my sisters or ANY woman... (Leaving that alone).

He was fired, and it only took 3 minutes from the time I discovered and advised his supervisor of the fact that he was already out the door. They packed his STUFF for him and sent it to him in the mail.

Anyone threatening the security or privacy of municipal data and privacy of it's citizens should be put on notice and then fired when ANY indication shows they are disobedient to the rule.

I suggest having a policy written by someone in a position to make and set policy, then get the Windows 7 guy in particular, and everyone else to sign off on having read the new policy.

Then, at the slightest infringement can him. Hey, it will then be him, or you! You know it ain't gonna be you causing the problem, so solve it!

This is what I would do, I wouldn't like it any more than I liked having the one guy fired (except for his problem with garbage, I liked him OK, he wasn't mean, but...), but he knew better. There's such a thing as ethics and you gotta draw a line in the sand and NEVER be willing to erase and redraw it.

Le me know what happens, I'm monitoring the thread...

John in Columbia, SC

Dec 07, 2009
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Norton 360
by: Anonymous

Thank you for your advice. We all use Norton 360 except Mr. Windows 7. You hit it right on the head, he is a curious user with great expectations. We are a small town and the scenerios you mentioned have been my biggest concerns. We have taken the steps you have listed with Norton 360. We will check the XP machines for the lockout default you mentioned.
Is there anything else we may have missed?
Thanks again.

Dec 07, 2009
Rating

One or two things...
by: John in Columbia, SC

I would find someone on each machine that is an administrator, or if you have a network administrator (it sounds like you don't) have them lock out the default hidden share in the XP machines, usually accessible at \\machine_name\C$ for the ROOT of the C drive. or other drives as you may have D$ , E$ etc.

The Windows 7 box probably isn't a problem there, but check on it. (I don't think Vista or Windows 7has default hidden shares, they were a bad idea.) Put firewall software on all of them and lock out all outside machines for inbound connections from pretty much anywhere. Almost all 192.168.nnn.nnn IP's are local intranet (there's some more, but I don't recall all of them) the other #s are outside world ones, all those other numbers from 1 to 255, excepting 192.168.nnn.nnn.

The protection you need is (IMHO) best had in a well-designed package from a commercial source that doesn't have a 'free' version. I like Norton 360 (integrates firewall, antivirus, malware, etc.) and it updates itself. It will help you lock out the Windows 7 guy, and everyone else. Norton has great online support.

If you get Norton 360, some outlets have reduced price on a package that retails at about $59.00 for three machines license. Two boxes ought to cover you, and it works with Windows 7 and XP. That's the environment I have here at my home three XP Home boxes, one XP Pro desktop, and one Windows 7 box. They all get along, and I have my privacy on my files, we can still share peripherals like printers, but we can have privacy.

If this stuff is beyond the capabilities of those working in your office, you may want to get a trained network administrator to consult. Set up security similarly to how I've described and coach at least one trust-able supervisor type person in operating and manipulating this setup so Mr. Windows 7 get you all fired. One curious user on the upswing of a learning curve can really FUBAR your security. (Fouled Up Beyond All Recognition). I know, I have dealt with the type a lot of times.

Good luck, and lock it down ASAP, you don't want someone outside your organization who's personal data may be on your system or another having their privacy compromised. They'll sue!

If it's a small town, you may have to convince an administrator about costs. Mention liability suits and he/she will hire a outside consultant pretty quick, or borrow someone from another department.

Wired or wireless outside Internet connections are also very susceptible to problems, it can really bite you on the butt.

Shop the local outlets or the Internet for Norton 360. It pretty much takes care of itself. It will give you warnings and you tell it to fix it. Problem(s) solved right away.

Heck, this stuff even detected and stopped some jackass from my own Internet service provider from tapping into my Windows 7 machine. They got an earful from me I'll tell you.

Good luck, and please repost with your progress.

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