New Equipment
Printers
Updated 8/15/2023
When buying a new printer we have often had HP in the past. But HP started to push a “deal” after you install your printer for the first time that would give you free ink for 6 months but by agreeing to the deal you irreversibly locked the printer to ONLY work with genuine HP ink, use an internet connection and have an HP account ( Reference May 2023 ). There was also a lawsuit where all-in-one printers would stop scanning or fax if the ink was low ( Reference Aug 2023 ).
We then started to buy Canon printers. But they are currently being sued for the same reason as HP. If the ink gets low, you will be unable to scan ( Reference Aug 2023 ). Which has led us to buy Brother printers moving forward.
Staff should not save passwords in the browser
As of 12/2/2021
Per Advisory Note #5, passwords should only be stored in the provided encrypted Excel document. Storing passwords in the browser is not secure and often the target of malware. If you become to rely upon it and the browser resets for whatever reason, IT will be unable to recover the lost credentials.
Personal home printers when working remotely
As of 11/28/2023
Many staff work remotely and it has been mentioned a few times about using a personal printer when working remotely. Staff should not be printing PII at home and should properly handle sensitive information per the Advisory Notes. If the information being printed doesn’t contain any PII or sensitive information, it is permissible to print at home using a personal printer. Please be aware that IT will be unable to support personal home printers if any issues arise.
Remote (RDP) WiFi Usage
As of 2022
WiFi usage is permissible when working remotely assuming the staff member is connecting remotely via the VPN. The VPN connection is encrypted by default and should provide a safe method to connect over an unsafe WiFi connection. Be sure not to do any sensitive work or access any accounts on an unsafe WiFi account and only work directly on the remote computer via the VPN. Any work done outside of the remote computer is not protected by the VPN.
Desktop/Web Camera Usage
As of 4/6/2021
If using an external camera that plugs into the desktop computer, it must be disconnected while not in use in order to avoid any potential issues if the camera is ever compromised. An alternative is to use a separate laptop with an integrated camera, and have the laptop closed when not in use to deactivate the camera. To address the issue of a camera overhearing anything in the hallways or nearby offices; the individual must let others around know that a camera is in use and to close the door during the session.
Documents should be stored on network, not directly on the computer
As of 8/1/2023
All working files (if possible) should be stored either in the Private folder on the N drive or as applicable in the Public folder on the N drive. This allows files to be backed up (and restored) easier. It also prevents files from being inaccessible if your computer is unavailable for whatever reason (broken, hacked, etc.).