4 ms·

>I was fired from MS for posting an image of myself online where my badge was clear enough to copy. I won't ask you to go into any detail that you don't feel c

>I was fired from MS for posting an image of myself online where my badge was clear enough to copy. I won't ask you to go into any detail that you don't feel comfortable with, but is there more to this? Special circumstances? The above, out-of-context, sounds very... draconian. I'm really just curious.

not_kurt_godel 13y ago
I really wouldn't be surprised if this really was the primary reason for firing a security engineer. A person who carelessly compromises sensitive information is someone you want as far away as possible from having access to your security systems, not to mention building them.
- lmm 13y ago
  How is someone's badge security information? Anyone can walk up to the building entrance and see several people's badges on the way, surely security can't depend on keeping those secret.
  - polymatter 13y ago
    well, depends if you're concerned with security or appearance of security. Security engineers need to do both.
  - not_kurt_godel 13y ago
    By that same logic, passwords wouldn't be security information either because anyone could videotape someone typing theirs in at a coffee shop from afar. But, I suspect that's rare because it's really difficult in practice. The purpose of many security policies is to increase the amount of effort an attacker must go through.
    - BlackDeath3 13y ago
      I don't know of any company that encourages the display of passwords around their employees' necks.
hobbes300 13y ago
Sounds unbelievable to me. How is a picture of a card going to mean that you can copy the RFID/chip needed to actually access anything? It would be a first warning/stern telling off event at most.
- theverse 13y ago
  You don't need to copy the RFID to enter the buildings, you can always tailgate.
  - hobbes300 13y ago
    I don't need to copy ANYTHING to tailgate.
kayfox 13y ago
There is a policy against it. Its kind of lame since the design is well known and lots of photos existed beforehand. The actual reasons were likely that I didn't ignore problems the company had previously ignored and a falling out with a freshly ex-roommate who went and harassed my company's management until something happened (I was a vendor). I had gotten a TRO on this guy and my company ignored it and ignored the advice of Microsoft management. In the end everyone agreed to forget the matter and move on. I have since not had issues with working at Microsoft.

not_kurt_godel 13y ago

I really wouldn't be surprised if this really was the primary reason for firing a security engineer. A person who carelessly compromises sensitive information is someone you want as far away as possible from having access to your security systems, not to mention building them.

lmm 13y ago
How is someone's badge security information? Anyone can walk up to the building entrance and see several people's badges on the way, surely security can't depend on keeping those secret.
- polymatter 13y ago
  well, depends if you're concerned with security or appearance of security. Security engineers need to do both.
- not_kurt_godel 13y ago
  By that same logic, passwords wouldn't be security information either because anyone could videotape someone typing theirs in at a coffee shop from afar. But, I suspect that's rare because it's really difficult in practice. The purpose of many security policies is to increase the amount of effort an attacker must go through.
  - BlackDeath3 13y ago
    I don't know of any company that encourages the display of passwords around their employees' necks.

hobbes300 13y ago

Sounds unbelievable to me. How is a picture of a card going to mean that you can copy the RFID/chip needed to actually access anything? It would be a first warning/stern telling off event at most.

theverse 13y ago
You don't need to copy the RFID to enter the buildings, you can always tailgate.
- hobbes300 13y ago
  I don't need to copy ANYTHING to tailgate.

kayfox 13y ago

There is a policy against it. Its kind of lame since the design is well known and lots of photos existed beforehand. The actual reasons were likely that I didn't ignore problems the company had previously ignored and a falling out with a freshly ex-roommate who went and harassed my company's management until something happened (I was a vendor). I had gotten a TRO on this guy and my company ignored it and ignored the advice of Microsoft management. In the end everyone agreed to forget the matter and move on. I have since not had issues with working at Microsoft.