To sort of right the ways of my interesting exploits I thought I would share my more positive moments.
At one time I worked at a bank. I first started there as a second shift computer operator and when I graduated from college I joined the internal audit group which was responsible for performing security audits on internal computer systems. Well, this is one of those stories.
I will have to admit. There is a certain level of power that comes with being an auditor and it can become addicting. While I was an auditor I would like to think that I was pretty good. I don’t want to sound to arrogant but loving a job to this point was absolutely fun.
I was assigned to audit a mini-computer system at our home site. Basically, the system was used for an entity within the bank that was separate from bank deposits. Nevertheless, it was an important system and it came with a huge list of potential exposures.
As I always did I checked in the management group for the opening interview. I shared my plan, time line and then I asked if there were any problems they wished to share with me for assistance in reporting to their management. A pretty standard process.
After a weeks time, my boss and his manager called me to get my update (I had given some minor updates during the week). But this time I was I reporting significant problems.
I discovered embedded passwords within the applications primary code. I found system level ids and passwords in documentation that was never changed from the initial installation. I found trap doors that the vendor had written into the application and were not documented.
The more I dug into this system the more problems I found. So by the end of the week when my bosses called it became very apparent what had to be done.
“Nice job Buddy! Come home. You are done.”
The audit results were so bad that the department received what is called an “UnSat Audit” which meant and unsatisfactory audit. The audit report was issued to Senior Management and corrections had to be made.
After some time went by, I was called in and given special congratulations from the Executive Management. It was nice to see that even at a high level of management they can reach down to give an “atta boy”.
