Overcoming Access Limitations

[telstar1]

My employer has recently implemented network restrictions that will limit what websites we're able to access on the public Internet.
Basically, they need a business justification for access to any public site.
I can understand these policies for some websites, however there is a broad number of websites I use as a technical resource and I'm pissed that I'm going to have to fill out a form each time I want to access one.
Because of this, I'm looking for alternatives.

Here's the current network configuration:

WORK PC ---> WEBPROXY ---> |FIREWALL| ----> INTERNET


I've found something called STunnel that looks like it may be of use, but networking isn't my domain, so I'm not sure if it fits the bill. What it does is it wraps arbitrary TCP traffic using SSL.

My thought is that I can run a proxy server on my home PC, somehow redirect encrypted TCP traffic from my work PC through the webproxy server on my home PC, and access whatever sites I want through my home connection.

Would that worK? Is STunnel what I need, or am I barking up the wrong tree?

WORK PC ---> STUNNEL ---> WEBPROXY ---> | FIREWALL | ---> INTERNET ---> MYWEBPROXY ---> (UNENCRYPT REQUEST) ---> INTERNET


Does that make sense, or am I confused?
I'd appreciate any suggestions.

Thanks,
Telstar

 

[Lord Evermore]

You're asking for help bypassing your employer's limitations to your use of their resources while on their time. You know that can get you fired?

Don't expect this thread to last long (unless the mods just aren't on duty again).

 

[alrox]

Explain to your boss that you need access to certain sites to get your job done. Trying to go around a filter they have may get you into trouble.

 

[Lord Evermore]

A good company would set up a broad bypass for a technical department, if you can show them that the company doesn't have everything you need internally.

 

[telstar1]

Originally posted by: Lord Evermore
You're asking for help bypassing your employer's limitations to your use of their resources while on their time. You know that can get you fired?

Don't expect this thread to last long (unless the mods just aren't on duty again).

No, the fact is they're setting up restrictions to get people to stop screwing around on Hotmail while in essence they're cutting off access to one of the best technical resources available. Whenever I've got a technical problem, I search for the solution on Google. I'm hoping they don't block that ... but unless they want to shell out $40 - $50 for a book every time I need to look something up ... I'd argue that there's a good reason for the internet to be accessible. The place trusts its employees to write software that can manage multi-billion-dollar accounts ... You'd think they could trust us to manage our time.

Perhaps they should do a better job at hiring ... instead of babysitting ... but it's easy for them to blame their bottom-line on the Internet. After all ... I'm sure it's not just poor business decisions from the top.

 

[Lord Evermore]

When you own the company, you can make up the rules about how Internet access is handled. Until then, however stupid the rules are, it's not your place to bypass them. You can of course protest the firewalling to your manager and ask that he/she pass it along. Also simply make yourself as much of an annoyance as possible with requests for access to sites, and perhaps the people that have to handle those requests will try to get the policies changed just to reduce their workload. And of course, you can ask for the books you mentioned, and probably get them, until someone realizes it's cheaper to let you access the Net to get the answers (or until you've read enough books to get a better job).

Oh, and if there's something you don't know how to do, then either the company isn't doing its job providing you with training and resources for something you weren't hired originally for (and should understand that you need such access in order to accomplish their goals)... or you're not very good at your job. 🙂

 

[telstar1]

Originally posted by: Lord Evermore

Oh, and if there's something you don't know how to do, then either the company isn't doing its job providing you with training and resources for something you weren't hired originally for (and should understand that you need such access in order to accomplish their goals)... or you're not very good at your job. 🙂

I think that's my point ... they're taking away one of the most valuable resources.
And if you're telling me that you don't learn new things while on the job, I'd guess that you don't have a very interesting job.

 

[Lord Evermore]

You're making your point to the wrong people, though. Your bosses are the ones you need to convince. Asking people to help you break the rules and risk your job is just silly.

And I never said I didn't learn anything on my job. But I didn't have to violate company policy to do it, and if the company didn't give me the ability to learn what I needed to do the job, the job didn't get done.

 

[spidey07]

telstar,

Really the best solution in your predicament (sp?) is to speak with your manager and explain just how important access to these sites is to your job.

-edit- anything trying to bypass security could jepordize your job...check what you signed.

 

[telstar1]

Originally posted by: Lord Evermoreif the company didn't give me the ability to learn what I needed to do the job, the job didn't get done.

That's a good point...

More than anything, I'm just discouraged. My company has gradually turned the screws on its employees taking away things that we'd all become accustomed to having. What they're doing now is making a blanket statement regarding public internet access and it's an unfair one in my opinion. They're flipping the switch on this newsystem later this month, so I'll see what happens then, but I can't imagine it's going to make my job any easier.

 

[spidey07]

and life's a bitch, ain't it.

There's a saying to business...adapt or die.