Getting Ready For Lay-offs
Lay-offs are coming -- How should a CIO
prepare....
Big corporate layoffs are creating a nightmare of security
risks as IT workers scramble to close
down network connections and plug up
dangerous holes as employees are walked
out the door.
Some things CIO should do to minimize
security risks include:
-
Clearly and completely document each
worker's access to the network,
applications, servers and the
physical building;
-
Have monitoring software in place to
keep an eye on network traffic and
security violations;
-
Modify and/or shut down remote
connections, including VPNs;
-
Install file and directory security
- limit ability to access / modify
enterprise business records -
disable ability to download files
and use USB storage devices;
-
Audit and close down user names and
passwords as soon as lay-offs are
announced;
-
Audit and close down web access to
sensitive information and business
records for those laid off;
-
Freeze access to e-mail and archive
e-mail accounts immediately;
-
Collect PDAs, Smartphones, Laptops,
USB devices;
-
Collect security ID cards;
-
Collect credit cards;
-
If the person worked in IT, change
route access and network access;
-
Eliminate telephone access from the
outside;
-
Have the laid-off worker's manager
tell the employee that he is being
laid-off;
-
Offer a financial cushion or
severance package - include health
insurance;
-
Offer outplacement services;
Laying off thousands of employees means there simply may be
too many security holes to patch up
before employees are given their pink
slips. And that means there are many
ways back into the company's network for
any disgruntled employee who would like
some revenge to help make up for a lost
job and possibly squandered retirement
funds and stock options.
Questions that the CIO should have
answers to are:
-
If the enterprise is going through
periods of rapid or dramatic change,
including changes in the way it does
business, how will the lay-offs
impact this?
-
Is the enterprise's IT function
efficient and has a low cost of
operation, what value and costs will
the lay-off provide?
-
The primary motivator for lay-offs
is the drive to reduce costs, will
this happen?
-
How will the enterprise know that it
is getting value from the lay-off?
-
Lay-offs are driven by senior
management -- what does the CIO do
to meet and exceed their objectives
will continuing to provide service?
-
How do you know what the service
level will be after the lay-offs?
What metrics are in place?
-
The enterprise operations are
entwined with IT functions such that
if the IT function has lay-offs what
will the impact be on enterprise
operations?
Read on.....
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