Smackre

At work we try and keep sertain computers locked up at night. so the night shift dont start surfing the web instread of working. Well needless to say i came in the other night and there was my night shift surfing the web. I had a feeling they was because the keyboards was dirty and the monitors were all tweaked all around like they was lounging back in the chairs.

Anyways i need a way to lock the computer up. I know along time ago computers used to have key locks on them. Is there still such a thing? I have PWed all the computers but somehow they seem to figure out the pw's. I dont know if i got someone telling them it. any help would be great.

__________________
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 730 (1.60 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
17 inch UltraSharp™ Wide Screen XGA+ Display
1GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHz 2 Dimm
256MB NVIDA® GeForce™ Go 6800

shakran

why don't you set a password and then not tell anyone what it is?

computer physical locks are a joke. They're absurdly easy to bypass.

plus if I recall from my computer that had one, it locks the keyboard and mouse port. Bring in a USB kb/mouse and you don't even have to bypass it.

is the night shift a cleaning crew or what? if they're goofing around why don't you fire them and get a new night shift? If you have to lock the toys up so people don't play wiht them instead of working then perhaps your night shift is not good employee material.

cyrnel

There are products for this but it means securing every system against someone who already seems a step ahead. Real protection from an enemy-inside-the-gates is difficult and expensive. Do you want the situation to escalate? It's usually cheaper to catch the few who have bad habits.

First thing, ensure computer use policy is well defined and known by everyone. That alone can head off the problem. If problems persist, consider a simple surveillance system for after-hours. You don't have to create a big brother environment. When systems are messed with, review the recordings and act. It doesn't take many HR meetings to stop the abuse, and you can pack up the eyes until next time.

__________________
There are a vast number of people who are uninformed and heavily propagandized, but fundamentally decent. The propaganda that inundates them is effective when unchallenged, but much of it goes only skin deep. If they can be brought to raise questions and apply their decent instincts and basic intelligence, many people quickly escape the confines of the doctrinal system and are willing to do something to help others who are really suffering and oppressed." -Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media, p. 195

Smackre

its hard to fire relatives. it also hard to tell close family to stop fucking off and work. anyone who runs / works at a family company that has 8+ of my family in it know what i mean.

__________________
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 730 (1.60 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
17 inch UltraSharp™ Wide Screen XGA+ Display
1GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHz 2 Dimm
256MB NVIDA® GeForce™ Go 6800

God of Thunder

Our policy here is that unauthorized computer access is stricly forbidden. Intentionaly bypassing security measures constitutes breaking in and is a fireable offense.

Surprisingly, our union backed the idea. Once the first couple of people were fired and word got around, the problem solved itself.

__________________
I reject your reality, and substitute my own

-- Adam Savage

feelgood

If they're using the computer just to surf the net, then why don't you ask your IP to shutdown the service during the night? Some providers can do that for you, so I dunno if that would help the situation much.

Eventually, they're gonna get bored of playing nothing but Solitaire

__________________
Looking out the window, that's an act of war. Staring at my shoes, that's an act of war. Committing an act of war? Oh you better believe that's an act of war

cyrnel

Ouch. Family businesses are not easy.

Maybe put your hard drives in removable bays so they can be locked up at night. Maybe $25-35/system. Call it part of your backup/security strategy. Those in the know could still boot from CD - slowly - but it'll require effort and it won't mess with your daytime configuration.

__________________
There are a vast number of people who are uninformed and heavily propagandized, but fundamentally decent. The propaganda that inundates them is effective when unchallenged, but much of it goes only skin deep. If they can be brought to raise questions and apply their decent instincts and basic intelligence, many people quickly escape the confines of the doctrinal system and are willing to do something to help others who are really suffering and oppressed." -Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media, p. 195

Smackre

Well right now im using my linksys routers setting to turn the net off at night. So that realy aint the problem. I realy have no idea what they are doing on them. the problem is they run machines at night. machines that cost 250,000$. they are fully automatic for 40 mins once you turn them on. and two guys run them. They are suppose to file there papers and clean up around the machines and stuff during the down time. there is also other work they can do during down times. But they choose to go break into the computers and fuk off. There is one computer they can run at night. or i will say are allowed. this computer is used to program those machines. well i have that computer locked up real tight with a program. i cant remember the name of it. but it restricts them to being able to use the cnc software and that is all.

So anyways i realy think if there was a way i could put a lock on the psu or something so it wont turn on while it is off or something it would realy deturr them from getting on them. As they are lazy. i remember years ago psu's w/o key locks on them.

__________________
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 730 (1.60 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
17 inch UltraSharp™ Wide Screen XGA+ Display
1GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHz 2 Dimm
256MB NVIDA® GeForce™ Go 6800

Aro23

anyway you can put a p/w on the bios? then the post above is another good idea by using removable bays

shakran

why not put a padlock on the circuit breaker box and flip off the breakers that power the computers?

Pragma

My vote is for simply placing passwords on the systems (assuming they're running 2000/XP/2003). That alone should stop your average user, as they won't have the understanding to download and burn a CD to let them change the password - and if they do, it's painfully obvious to you the next day.

__________________
Eat antimatter, Posleen-boy!

Dilbert1234567

bios passwords are easy to set up and dificult to break (unless you open the case) give the bios password a try, its the simplest solution.

__________________
Donate Blood!

"Love is not finding the perfect person, but learning to see an imperfect person perfectly." -Sam Keen

Anexkahn

for internet control, just configure your router to deny outbound traffic for those computers outside of normal hours. If your router is locked up securly and you've changed the default password in the router there shouldnt be any chance of bypassing that... take away the incentive of screwing around (aka internet) and they'll leave the workstations alone i'd think. Like was said above, solitare gets boring after awhile...

Nimetic

I take it they are Windows machines... and that your intention is more to stop them from using them than to protect the data.

(After all... it sounds from your description like they watched DVDs...)

I would apply a windows password. Log in then lock a session at the end of the day. Lock (not log out). They'll be afraid to reboot then because


a) it'd be obvious - they can't log in then lock the session upon reboot unless
they know the password


b) it'd potentially loose legitimate work - giving you cause for complaint


Second.... I'd set a BIOS password. This prevents them starting any OS after a reboot. Take care not to loose the BIOS password !!

Finally - if you are also worried about file security, apply read up on and apply some sort of file encryption. It's not foolproof, but it sure helps.

Arachnid

really like the removable HDD idea ( setup in a caddy and taken at the end of the day )


hope you sort it out


Cheers

__________________
--------------------
Cheers

Plaid13

buy a cheap video camera and vcr or dvr and point the camera at the computers and record for a few nights find out whos doing it then... hit them with a fish every time you catch them doing it. maybe you cant fire them since they are family but you can always use a fish. or yeah a padlock on the circuit breaker box and shut down power at night. But i would try the fish first.

dlish

umm..if its dial up internet and if its just the internet your worried about, why not just change your dial up password to your isp?

otehrwise if its the whole computer you dont want used, try the bios method.

__________________
An injustice anywhere, is an injustice everywhere

I always sign my facebook comments with ()()===========(}. Does that make me gay?
- Filthy

jujueye

I would stick with this. Routers can be configured pretty well, just make sure you password protect the admin account on it as well. This solution costs you no extra money and does not require you to perform hardware duties every damn time you head in to work. Turning off network access with the router is good. Also, most routers can create log files to log the traffic. Turn on logging, leave the machine on one night, and find out what they are doing. However, since it is a family business, I suppose there woudl not be much you could do. Still, if they are surfing porn, it would be great to share with the rest of the family. Humility could slow their efforts. Once you know where they are going, shut down the router again.