Helpdesk staff enraged by 'danger to the company' slur

Earlier this week Richard Hollis, managing director of security consultancy Orthus, told delegates at the 'Turning IT On' security event that the biggest threat posed to networks around the country is disgruntled helpdesk staff (http://www.silicon.com/a50880 ).

Hollis' theory is that embittered techies will take out their frustrations, resulting from poor career opportunities and emotional problems, on the network over which they have complete control.

He said: "These guys [helpdesk staff] have access to your network 24 hours a day, they know every single one of the company's passwords. They are highly skilled technically, but often unmotivated because of lack of career prospects.

"They might even feel unrewarded and bored, all of which makes them commit attacks.

Unsurprisingly, many readers have taken great offence at Hollis' sweeping statements - branding his comments "outrageous", "utter nonsense" and nothing more than a "cheap publicity stunt".

One reader wrote: "To say that technical support workers often have emotional problems is condescending in the first place and offensive in the second. I have worked with a huge number of help desk staff in my nine years in the help desk industry, and this just isn't the case."

Another called it an "utter load of rubbish", going on to say: "This has got to be the most ludicrous article I have read on here for a while.

"Tech support are an extremely valuable department of a company and have no fewer career prospects than anyone else. And as for the comment about TS having more emotional problems, What planet does Mr Hollis live on?"

Another reader believes Hollis' opinions are symptomatic or the school of thought that blames everything on the Helpdesk - using them as a corporate scapegoat whenever anything goes wrong.

This reader wrote "perhaps he has a point. I mean, everything else is the help desk's fault, so why not 70 per cent of internal security breaches."