# What's the security like where you work? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 31, 2002, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-security-like-where-you-work/111793 "2002-05-31T20:27:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![scott\_evil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@scott\_evil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scott_evil)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-security-like-where-you-work/111793/1 "2002-05-31T20:27:56Z")
I work at a high-tech company with a ton of proprietary secrets, so the security here is extremely tight. On your first day, you have to sign a non-disclosure agreement that also prohibits you from working for quite a few other companies for a certain period after you leave here. This is pretty standard. Everyone has a security badge with their picture on it. This is pretty standard, too. But you have to swipe it and pass through turnstiles to get both in and out of the building. You also have to swipe it to get through the second set of doors, unless the security guard buzzes you in. After a certain hour, it’s also needed to pass through certain doors within the building. If you forget your card, you can get a temporary one, but you have to leave a piece of picture ID at the security desk. There are security cameras both inside and outside. Apparently there are hidden cameras as well. You must show the contents of any bag before being allowed to leave the building. Firewall. Pretty standard. You can download, but not upload. No streaming RealMedia of any sort. Strangely, there’s no problem with streaming WinMedia (I listen to disco - on my headphones, of course - on web radio, all day). Electronic records are kept of every time you swipe your card, so your electronic timesheet had better be as accurate as possible. All electronic devices being brought in or out (laptops, etc.) have to be bar-coded and scanned each time. The security guards patrol the parking lots on a regular basis. They also have remote controlled cameras in the parking lots that they can operate from the security desk. I’m sure I could think of more… - s.e. ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-security-like-where-you-work/111793/2 "2002-05-31T20:41:53Z")
I can’t talk about it. ---
**Author:** ![scott\_evil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@scott\_evil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scott_evil)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-security-like-where-you-work/111793/3 "2002-05-31T20:49:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Purd Werfect \* > \*\*I can’t talk about it. \*\* That one made me laugh… 😃 - s.e. ---
**Author:** ![Lisa\_Ann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bc79bd/32.png) [@Lisa\_Ann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa_Ann)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-security-like-where-you-work/111793/4 "2002-05-31T21:08:58Z")
I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you. ---
**Author:** ![scott\_evil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@scott\_evil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scott_evil)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-security-like-where-you-work/111793/5 "2002-05-31T21:15:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lisa Ann \* > \*\*I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you. \*\* Right, this thread is going nowhere. :rolleyes: Forget it. - s.e. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-security-like-where-you-work/111793/6 "2002-05-31T21:39:10Z")
Why are you asking? Are you considering a career change involving suction cups and black bags? ---
**Author:** ![Lisa\_Ann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bc79bd/32.png) [@Lisa\_Ann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa_Ann)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-security-like-where-you-work/111793/7 "2002-05-31T21:59:17Z")
That’s what I was wondering. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-security-like-where-you-work/111793/8 "2002-05-31T21:59:27Z")
The guards at the gates where I work carry guns. I work for a commercial airplane manufacturer. Nuff said. ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-security-like-where-you-work/111793/10 "2002-05-31T22:04:28Z")
I actually wasn’t being a smartass (for once). Per my contract with my employer, I actually can’t talk about it. There are certainly many more secure places than my office, but part of security is not revealing details of it without a very compelling reason. It’s certainly a case where knowledge can easily translate to power. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-security-like-where-you-work/111793/11 "2002-05-31T22:06:08Z")
I work at a University, and our security used to be pretty much non-existant. Well, unless you consider the 75 year old commissionaire to be security. However, as Alberta/Kananaskas/Calgary are hosting the G-8, they’ve upped security quite a bit - we’re going to need valid ID cards, on our person in order to get into the building next week. ---
**Author:** ![jacksen9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce73a5/32.png) [@jacksen9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacksen9)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-security-like-where-you-work/111793/12 "2002-05-31T22:39:17Z")
I work at a high school. I feel physically safe but there is a lot of theft. We have two or three uniformed police officers on campus during the school day. We usually have other police cars in the student parking lot during the last 30 to 40 minutes of the day. They stay on campus until most of the students leave campus. Our administrators are highly, highly, visible and teachers have assigned supervision duties before, during. and after school. All staff and students are required to wear picture IDs. We have cameras that cover the halls and common areas of the building. ---
**Author:** ![False\_God](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ee7513/32.png) [@False\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/False_God)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2002, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-security-like-where-you-work/111793/13 "2002-06-01T00:05:11Z")
I work for the US Department of State. I successfully switched badges with a colleague last week. Nobody noticed. He’s black, I’m not. Go us! ---
**Author:** ![Slainte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a698b9/32.png) [@Slainte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slainte)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2002, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-security-like-where-you-work/111793/14 "2002-06-01T00:16:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by racer72 \* > \*\*The guards at the gates where I work carry guns. I work for a commercial airplane manufacturer. Nuff said. \*\* We’re co-workers, you & I 😃 Except I am in Support not Production for same company. We have guns here too & they check IDs. ---
**Author:** ![dead0man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@dead0man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dead0man)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2002, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-security-like-where-you-work/111793/15 "2002-06-01T00:41:06Z")
100s of guys with fully automatic weapons and/or handguns. 2 swipes of picture ID. 2 showings to a human (with gun) of picture ID. PIN’s out the wazzoo. Several other things that are unmentionable. dead0man ---
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2002, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-security-like-where-you-work/111793/16 "2002-06-01T00:59:55Z")
SE, I used to work for a very large online service provider. I worked in the Network Operation Center(NOC) for a year and half or so. We pretty much had the same things you descirbed except to login to your account you had to use a secure ID keychain thingy. It was a little device with a LCD display and when loging on you had to punch in the number on the display. The ID thingy was updated via satelitte every 90 seconds or so. The other really wierd thing was the back wall of the NOC. I never noticed it because the NOC was always pretty dark since everyone was looking at monitors all day-night long. No one bothered to tell me about it either. So one day I was working away, slouched in my chair with my feet up on my desk (the NOC was pretty cool about dress and other things) when I heard a doorbell ring. At once everyone sat up and started typing away like mad. Being reasonably smart I did the same. It turned out that the back wall of the NOC had a window covered with brass doors and on the other side of the window was an executive meeting room. When the VP’s wanted to show off the NOC they would go into the meeting room, hit a button and the doors would slide open. The doorbell was to inform everyone that we were being spied on. It was pretty creepy. At the same time whenever the doorbell went off I had a giant urge to walk up to the window, stare back at them and start kissing and licking the window. Like I said, it was creepy. Slee ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21825_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2002, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-security-like-where-you-work/111793/17 "2002-06-01T01:20:32Z")
I work on board a naval air station. We have to show our ID to be able to drive thru the gates. Some mornings, they actually compare the pics on the badges with our faces. Some mornings, they wave us thru before they could possible even see our badges. Our building is not controlled, but the hangars and production facilities are fenced and you need to show ID to get in. They’ll search your bags, too. There’s a cybernanny on the network, but I think that’s the only restriction on our computers - other than we’re not allowed to install anything ourselves. Funny thing about this and some other bases - I’ve never seen the waterfront being patrolled. There’s nothing to stop someone from coming to the marina on base or beaching a boat near base housing and the hospital or the end of the runway. Of course, there could well be cameras monitoring those places. ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2002, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-security-like-where-you-work/111793/18 "2002-06-01T02:01:34Z")
Umm…uh…well…lessee…you have to put in a code on a little keypad to get in the front door after hours… Ain’t small-town newspapers great? ---
**Author:** ![Hedda\_Rosa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hedda_rosa/32/1204_2.png) [@Hedda\_Rosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hedda_Rosa)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2002, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-security-like-where-you-work/111793/19 "2002-06-01T10:23:56Z")
Keys. Seriously that is about it for physical security. We also have to sign non-competes and non-disclosures, and the firewall prevents us from using ICQ (But not other instant message programs like yahoo or AIM). That is pretty much it. Twiddle ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2002, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-security-like-where-you-work/111793/20 "2002-06-01T12:55:16Z")
The place where I work has the tightest security in the world. Nothing ever gets stolen, cars are never broken into, and nobody has ever broken in. The security department here is topnotch, and the people working in that department should be getting twice what they get now. And the fact that I am the head of the security department has absolutely _nothing_ to do with my opinion. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Why\_A\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Why\_A\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Why_A_Duck)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2002, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-security-like-where-you-work/111793/21 "2002-06-01T13:33:56Z")
Security ay my place is pretty tight. They really hate it when a nuclear submarine goes home in somebody’s briefcase. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-security-like-where-you-work/111793.md?page=2)