Problems with IT manager

LillyVanilli

I work in a company as a network and systems administrator, the only person in the company with any IT knowledge. However there is an IT manager, who has been with the company for years and got his title for reasons unknown to me. However he keeps giving out our administrator password. I have told him numerous times the reasons for not doing this. Any ideas what I can do/say to stop him doing this? He needs to know the password.

Anti

Keep letting him give it out. And when some one fubars the network blame it on him. As it is his fault for giving it out.

But a more prudent choice might be to email him, and the other tech team, and cc his firect manager. Just mention it is a huge security rick to give out such sensitive information. And if anything happens you will not be held responsible.

Let us know how you get on.

LillyVanilli

I cant keep letting him give it out cause im the only other IT person in the company so I would have to clean up his mess regardless.:(

Its a small company and his direct boss is the CEO, so I dont want to cause a huge problem for him. I think Ill just email him, just so I have it on record that he has been told, and try my best to keep calm when he does it. Thanks

Kimbot

Tell the CEO cos if anything happens to the network you will be blamed!! At least you have it then that you told the CEO who is giving it out!!

kmick

Just change it regularily and when he asks why he is locked out say the software makes you change it every 2 weeks. Other tack is tell the people who are asking the IT manager for the admin password that they need to sign a release stating that if they use the admin password they are personally liable for any damage done to the network. More sneakily you could cause an 'issue' where a setting is changed by mistake by an unautorised user. When you are asked to identiify who it was say you have no clue as the IT manager gives out the password to Mary, Joe, Philip, the receptionist and the courier. Then fix the issue, lock everyone out and only give it to the IT manager on a need to know basis.

jayo2004

For what reason's is he giving out the password????

LillyVanilli

Ridiculous reasons. Someone was borrowing another users laptop so he logged them in as administrator. On another persons pc, software wouldnt run unless the person was an admin, he didnt know how to do that so he logged them in as administrator. Loads of silly reasons. I sent him an email just now, laying it out, didnt CC the CEO though. Next time I will.

Stephen

"IT manager" my ass! That sounds like the civil service way of doing things - promote people into jobs they know nothing about based on service years, not ability :rolleyes:

CptSternn

You can:

A. Wait until his foolhardy ways allow some hacker to wipe out your network, and then ask to be promoted to his job

Or

B. Take the same advise that Microsoft tells all Vista users - create another administrator account, and use it as the administrator account. Restrict access on the account actually called 'administrator' to just what he needs.

A semi-restricted account will accomplish 99% of what most people use the admin account for, plus its much more secure this way. Block access to domain modification and other mission critical items that you know he will never use, and then feel safe knowing your boss isn't going to accidentally get you fired.