This is a pretty funny thread…

 

I stumbled across something the other day that might be revealing.  On a Windows box, there is a hidden directory called c:\recycled or sometimes c:\recycler .  This directory (on my machine) contained hidden files, e-mails, web pages, directories, and all sorts of stuff that I had deleted long ago.  It was interesting to read.  I know that this contains Recycle Bin information, but it must get files from other places, too.  Keep in mind that I had previously (many times) emptied my Recycle Bin, deleted my IE cache, etc., but much of it was still all there.

 

From a legal / security perspective, companies must monitor the bad things that their employees might be doing on-line as they can be held liable.  Certain ‘bad’ activities can be handled through company talks and discipline.  Other ‘really bad things’ are by law immediately turned over to the FBI – companies have no choice.  It’s a really touchy issue. 

 

From a religious perspective, the Brethren are telling us to guard heavily against porn and other bad online activities.  Remember last fall, Pres. Hinckley (who usually inserts a bit of comedy) spoke in the priesthood conference about those addicted to porn?  In the spring conference, he talked about online gambling.  He seemed (rightfully) pretty disgusted by the acts and how many church members it affects. 

 

As someone mentioned, the Brethren are telling us to put up a guard against the bad stuff online.  I’m sure that they don’t simply mean to have “will power”.  Will power has been shown not to be effective for adults, so who in their right mind would think that it would work for impressionable young kids???  While will power is necessary, it must be supplemented with other protections (e.g., firewalls, filters, etc.).  We all have our free agency, but it is prudent.

 

Me?  I tell my kids that they can go online and have e-mail….however, the agreement was that I (as a computer security professional) can look at anything and everything that they do online.  I told them that if I ever caught them doing bad stuff, that they would be done online.  Why so severe?  Well IMO, the evils online (e.g., porn, gambling) have been found to have the same effects as drugs.  Despite my normally libertarian leanings, drugs take away someone’s otherwise good judgment and leave them ‘wanting more’. 

 

So, since corporations have legal obligations and families have moral obligations, why are we all not running filters and such to protect ourselves?  Hmmmm…..

 

Enjoy,

 

Steve

 

P.S.  Security Tip for the day:  check your firewall, does it filter *outgoing* connections?

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