on call Today is the last Friday of 2023, but the need for technical support never goes away, and neither will the on-call. registerIn Friday’s column, readers share their experiences of being asked to solve the unfeasible, often in indefensible circumstances.
This week, we meet a reader we’ll re-identify as “Jack,” who said he was a consultant/customer liaison for a managed security service provider (MSSP) working with a bank in Africa.
“We provided a number of services after the intrusion by state actors,” Jacques told On Call, adding that the incident led to “panic buying” of defensive tools and operational know-how. .
Jack evaluated his client’s CEO as follows: probably I am satisfied with our service, but not satisfied with the amount. ”
That attitude led to a heated exchange between Jack’s boss and the bank’s CEO.
While the two CEOs were butting heads over whether the service provider’s services were worth it, Jack’s job included monitoring a WhatsApp group used as an incident management tool.
Then one Saturday evening, the group lit up.
Someone was on the network! This was bad news in itself, but it might also be proof that Jack’s costume really was a waste.
Jack worked with the bank staff to triage the case. Eventually everyone concluded that the intruder was inside the bank building. Further investigation revealed that the intruder was actually on the floor where the CEO’s office was located…and indeed, that very office.
“It turns out the CEO was using his favorite cybersecurity provider to conduct unannounced tests,” Jack told On Call.
Despite Jack’s CEO’s strong protests, the bank’s customers quickly made a formal evaluation of the MSSP’s work, which shocked the already strained relationship between the bosses. In an email to Oncall, Jack described his experience as “like meeting an unhappy proctologist” and lamented that it took four months for the relationship to get back on a viable footing. Ta.
Have you ever had a client work against you and cause a tech support issue? If so, click here to email Oncall. You’ll be able to tell your story in 2024. ®