My mom got audited for storing sensitive client information in her gmail account without using a vpn or any other real security.

I had been telling her this was an issue for literally the last three years and shes brushed me off every time.

I got yelled at for not telling her I was serious.

her own fault

Sounds like a typical client/manager/user.

@Alice I hate those kinds of bullshit

If you ever need anyone to back you off, tell me. Your mother might don't belive you, cause you're her daughter. She might belive some randome dude from the internet. So if you ever need someone to back you up, let me know.

How would a VPN helped in this case?

Fuckin hate that shit to no extent.

@Bubbles Guess you don't really hate it then 😅

@Root I hate it so much I don’t hate it I relate to that feeling too much

@Bubbles Me, too. I've been ignored and not taken seriously my entire life.

@Root fuck I relate to that as well

@TheCommoner282 No, but what doesn't protect data at rest, _especially when they lay at an external company_ (in this case Google).

@TheCommoner282 Her company requires vpn use in their service contract thing with clients. So its more the fact that she broke her own internal business function policies.
I should have clarified.

@meowijuanas So this is 'just' a policy violation, but no 'real' insecurities (besides storing data at Google at all, or was that allowed)?

@sbiewald No, there were many security violations. I was trying to clarify that the vpn itself was an issue because of company policy.

Many companies use Google Apps for everything. Uber for example, until they got into legal fights about self driving tech — even though Google claimed they never access the mailboxes.

@meowijuanas Thank you for clarification.

@bittersweet Really? That's troubling

@Root Well there's no sign Google abused their position as host, and there were plenty of signs Uber was stealing from Google.

But with Google/Amazon being such large conglomerates, I do think it's a factor to consider when you choose them to provide the tools to run your company.

Same goes for tools like Slack, Dropbox, conversion APIs, etc, you do pretty much give strangers around the world full access to all your information.

@bittersweet Growing up having no privacy at all made me extremely wary of that.

@Alice "that's exactly what..." she said. Here you are. The type of joke everyone needed😁

Was it her own personal Gmail account? If so that falls some on the company for not providing the right tools. Unless they did and she didn't use them. Personally I push most companies to use protonmail.

@icycrash yes. She used 3 different gmail accounts. Not the company's fault because she's the owner lmao. I have been using protonmail for 2 years and have recommended it to her and her clients at least 30 times, especially because she repeatedly asks me how to encrypt email. I have no clue why she was so fucking stubborn about switching, but i bet she wish she did now.

@meowijuanas protonmail is relatively cheap so it would be perfect. Hopefully she listens to you now.

@meowijuanas out of curiosity what field is her business in?

@icycrash she still probably wont lmao. I dont know, shes just a very frustrating person. Yesterday when i went to visit her and my gramma, it didnt seem like she had done anything in response to the audit. Shes probably thinking it's no big deal and that she can keep getting away with it. Itll be a damn rude awakening when thats not the case

@meowijuanas Depending what she does she may get fined.

@icycrash sorry, I didnt see your question. Its financial consultation. So she takes care of taxes, finding loans for people, debt consolidation plans, etc. So yes, she will absolutely be fined. I believe she has already been fined $2500.
She truly does not get the seriousness of the situation.

This is the same woman who thought she had a sticky note on her desk somewhere with my social security num on it, without realizing that i had shredded it 2 years ago.

@meowijuanas $2500 isn't too bad for a fine especially what the fine was for.

Talking about stupidity, my friend on whatsapp even share his bank online transaction on his stories, I told him to be careful with those sensitive information, but he's ignoring it.
I think he more care to show off his "bulge-wallet" than protect his own money.
Find anything stupid than that?

@K4YZ there's nothing stupid about that as long as you reshare it here.

@icycrash hahahahaaa. Next time he doing it, will share it here. Let him feel deterrent for his behavior 😂😂

@K4YZ Thats the right attitude. Lol

@icycrash hahaha.. well manered hooman, and that's kid how you be friend with one another 😂

That sucks. Most of the older generation in my family are the same. Hell, my mum only started using a PIN on her phone last year, but still keeps all her passwords written down in a little book (that are incidentally always in the same handbag as her phone :/ )

@CodeKill my mom does the same ._.