Senior Representative Demands Unrestricted Access

Forums › 2degrees (including Slingshot, Orcon, Flip, Stuff Fibre, MyRepublic, 2talk and Vocus) › Senior Representative Demands Unrestricted Access

chrispa6e

27 posts

Geek

#232115 30-Mar-2018 13:08

So I’m not sure if anyone else has run into this before but, I contacted MYR today because my Fibre 1G/500 download speed seems to be degrading further and further.

After several speedtest.net speed tests across two seperate machines with different OS from the router and directly plugged into the ONT using Chrome and for some reason the Windows app that was recommended, I was passed on to a “senior” help desk representative.

Said representative demamanded I download a RAT and give him unrestricted access to my personal computer and home network or else he wouldn’t help me.

Extortion aside, this is a blatant disregard for personal property and privacy. Needles to say the call ended abruptly.

Naturally I wanted to complain but looking at the Tdr website MYR doesn’t seem to be listed.

Has anyone else encountered this?

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20574 posts

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#1985918 30-Mar-2018 13:14

If you want help you're going to need to grant them temporary access to your computer. I don't know what a RAT is, but something like TeamViewer is regularly used to help. The person will log in, you can watch them do whatever it is they need to do to help you, then once they're finished access is revoked.

I think you're being unreasonable here.

k1w1k1d

1519 posts

Uber Geek

#1985920 30-Mar-2018 13:19

Remote Access Trojan?

Sounds nasty.

As timmmay said Teamviewer is often used to grant temporary access for diagnosing, and fixing, problems.

RunningMan

8953 posts

Uber Geek

#1985921 30-Mar-2018 13:19

Who or what is MYR?

k1w1k1d

1519 posts

Uber Geek

#1985922 30-Mar-2018 13:20

MyRepublic.

mattwnz

20141 posts

Uber Geek

#1985923 30-Mar-2018 13:20

What about privacy of the users personal information and docs on that computer. If working from home in a home office, so some businesses wouldn't allow a third party to access it, especially if it has customer info on it. One solution could be to use a secondary computer to give them access, that doesn't have any personal information on.

chrispa6e

27 posts

Geek

#1985924 30-Mar-2018 13:22

Actually a Remote Access Tool like TeamViewer is what scammers use to empty your bank account.

If I came over to fix your pluming would you like me to take a your house keys and get a copy cut? I work for a reputable company so that would be ok right?

I don’t think I’m being unreasonable at all.

chewster

127 posts

Master Geek

Trusted

#1985926 30-Mar-2018 13:23

Takes car to mechanic
Cust: "It has a funny sound when it's running"
Mechanic: "Huh weird, hand me the keys I'll have a look"
Cust: "I'm not giving you MY KEYS this is MY PRIVATE CAR"
Mechanic: "..."

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timmmay

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#1985928 30-Mar-2018 13:24

TeamViewer gives you a one time code, once you close the program it will never work again. You watch them while they work.

How would you propose this issue is fixed, if you're not willing to give someone access to observe the problem and fix it directly?

You probably have two choices: allow this, or pay $100 / hr or more plus travel costs for on-site support.

chrispa6e

27 posts

Geek

#1985929 30-Mar-2018 13:25

I didn’t ask him to fix my car I asked him to fix my driveway there is a difference I think you minght be overlooking.

RunningMan

8953 posts

Uber Geek

#1985931 30-Mar-2018 13:34

chrispa6e: [snip]Extortion aside, this is a blatant disregard for personal property and privacy. Needles to say the call ended abruptly.

This is hardly extortion.

It's a reasonable request for them to make (it's a reasonable and valid troubleshooting tool), however it's also reasonable for you to refuse the request for the reasons you have raised.

In cases where the customer is not technically literate, then remote access is far more efficient at gathering required information - however, providing traceroutes, network configuration and/or other requested diagnostic information should also be perfectly acceptable for their purposes.

EDIT: Please also refer to a company by it's correct name - The FUG requires it, but it makes it far easier for people to understand who or what you are referring to.

k1w1k1d

1519 posts

Uber Geek

#1985937 30-Mar-2018 13:50

You can see exactly what is being done when you grant remote access to your computer. The other party is not likely to do anything they shouldn't with you watching the screen

It is rather strange sitting there watching the cursor move around without touching the mouse.

macuser

2120 posts

Uber Geek

#1985952 30-Mar-2018 14:01

What Chewster said.

Stop being so sensitive.

If you don't want to pay a call out fee, the best you're going to get is remote access.

chrispa6e

27 posts

Geek

#1985954 30-Mar-2018 14:02

I’m not an idiot, I know what TeamViewer does but he is not part of my team and he does not need access to my machine to give me working Layer 3 access to the internet which I pay a premium for.

I am stuck in a contract and I have to give him access to my computer or I don’t get help, if that isn’t extortion I haven’t experienced a better example.

They never asked for tracerout information which I have on hand, they made me move from my Debian machine to a Windows computer and download an app from the Windows store before demanding unrestricted access or else they wouldn’t log an Incident Management ticket with UFF which I could pick up 1st thing Tuesday morning and make sure it gets processed.

I could easily create a virtual box and give them access to that but it’s blatant disregard for personal property and privacy that I have a problem with.

mattwnz

20141 posts

Uber Geek

#1985958 30-Mar-2018 14:17

k1w1k1d:

You can see exactly what is being done when you grant remote access to your computer. The other party is not likely to do anything they shouldn't with you watching the screen

It is rather strange sitting there watching the cursor move around without touching the mouse.

It is what you can't see though that worries me. Potentially it could create a backdoor, where another user could be doing hidden things, espically if something has been hacked. IMO there is risk with this sort of thing. Haven't there been issues with this in the past, as I recall something. That is why I would suggest only giving access to another computer without files on it.

andrewNZ

2487 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1985959 30-Mar-2018 14:17

This is not intended to offend (though I suspect it will). My first thought reading through this thread was that based on attitude and response quality "the OP may not be as savvy as they think"

I imagine the rep thought similar. They also would have thought, if this turns out to be a chargeable call, it will be an absolute $#!t fight getting payment.

You are being silly.

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