Abacus Prank - The Item (3 of 3)

Here's the spoofed memo deployed by me, Subcommandante Zaius.

COMPANY NAME REDACTED

M E M O R A N D U M

TO: All Employees

FROM: XXXXX - IT

DATE: May 31, 2008

RE: Laptops and XXXXX Security

As you have heard, XXXXX is in the midst of implementing measures that will allow us to attain a XXXXX security rating. One of the measures that was recently announced was regarding securing laptops after regular business hours.

IT received a large amount of negative feedback regarding this particular policy. Many employees noted that the policy had been implemented without any consensus with end-users, and that the tools and equipment needed to comply with the policy weren’t clear (or available, for that matter).

In response to this, IT has created a new policy as a countermeasure. Beginning on 7/7/08 (the first Monday after the July 4^th holiday), all laptops, whether used for Office Automation or evaluation purposes, will be replaced by a Manual Computing Device (MCD). You may have heard them referred to as an abacus or soroban (in Japan).

In benchmarking laptop security, both physical and network security, it was found that electronic, digital computers are inherently expensive and difficult to secure. The MCDs currently available are inexpensive (and therefore easily replaceable should there be a theft), carry no security risk, and are much more user-friendly than the models currently used. MCDs will be available to replace all laptops, and due to their inexpensive nature, will also be offered as replacements for any employees desktop computer. We anticipate a cost savings of more than $1,000,000 per year due to this initiative.

MCDs will not be required to be physically secured during normal hours or after hours.

We recognize that many TMs may not be familiar with how to use MCDs, and so we have partnered with XXXXX-HR to provide multiple training sessions. An outside vendor will conduct these training sessions. You can sign up for these sessions via XXXXX’s intranet website.

Please make sure to sign up for a training session prior to the 7/7 roll-out of the MCDs.

Thank you.

Above: an example of the XXXX Soroban 8600 that will be used as XXXX MCDs.