USPS tightens computer security rules
Yesterday’s Postal Bulletin contains new rules on the use of postal computers, as well as more restrictions on the use of personal electronic devices on postal property. Here are some excerpts:
“The removal and storage of sensitive and business- controlled sensitive Postal Service electronic information from Postal Service premises must be approved in writing by the functional vice president (data steward) and the Chief Information Officer (CIO). ”
“Do not bring personal information resources (e.g., laptops, notebooks, personal digital assistants [PDAs], handheld computers, or storage media including universal serial bus [USB] port devices) into Postal Service facilities. Do not connect personal information resources to the Postal Service Intranet (Blue).”
In order to protect Postal Service information from disclosure or compromise, non-Postal Service portable devices (e.g., laptops, notebooks, personal digital assistants [PDAs], handheld computers, cameras, watches with cameras, or storage media including universal serial bus [USB] port devices or thumb drives) should not be used on Postal Service facilities without written approval from the user’s vice president or his or her designee. Under no circumstances will such devices connect to the Postal Service Intranet (Blue) or store Postal Service information.”
“Visitors to Postal Service facilities are required to present non-Postal Service portable devices to the installation head or his or her designee upon entry to the facility. The installation head or his or her designee will determine if such devices must be surrendered for the duration of the visit. Under no circumstances will such devices connect to the Postal Service Intranet (Blue) or store Postal Service information.”
September 29th, 2006 08:17
This sounds too restrictive. I can understand the worry about security, but to ban PDAs? Many cellular telephones now include camera, PDA and full handheld computer functions. As a matter of fact, one of my supervisors has a new handheld computer that includes a cellular telephone, instead of a phone that includes a computer! Where’s this going to stop?
September 29th, 2006 09:38
Before I retired I brought into, and used, a half-dozen laptops and PDAs at my P&DC with nobody saying a word about it. One supervisor had a Macintosh in his locker, circa 1988. The problem is the new USB devices that can be connected to the postal computers and bypass all their security measures. A small USB thumb drive can be used to boot the computer into another operating system and/or download files from the postal system. I’m not just talking about booting Linux and playing Doom3 over the net here (which is trivial to do), I’m talking about people walking out the door with enough data on one of those things to steal the identities of thousands of employees. Then again, hasn’t management already lost a bunch of laptops with all that information on them already?
I’m glad I’ve retired What are they going to do, stripsearch the employees as they enter and leave? Those thumb drives are tiny….
September 29th, 2006 11:57
Is there an exception for authorized union officials to bring in laptops, notebooks, PDAs, etc. Were the national unions consulted before implementing this change?
September 30th, 2006 08:18
The USPS seems to be confused. Our Acronym is USPS, not CIA,FBI.
Its reminds me of the all the safety related garbage we see……they seem to think we work with molten lava, instead of a bunch of paper.
October 1st, 2006 15:40
This is one more idiotic rule that is impossible to manage. Just like the use of cell phones.
March 8th, 2008 13:13
The smarter option would be to disable the USB ports on the USPS work stations. There should be exceptions for union officals. The point in other posts on the camera phones is correct. Also with the new I phones that the user has internet access. How do you stop employess from bringing these into facilities?