Disabling unused and out of date devices to keep the Trust secure – are you affected?

October 6, 2022

Thank you to everyone who has been working with IT to upgrade and maintain their devices, your support and responsiveness help ensure we are able to keep our data safe and secure.

However, there remain devices that sit unused, either disconnected from the network, powered down or tucked away in a cupboard. Whilst this is a waste of much needed resources, this also poses a significant security risk to the Trust. Devices that are not regularly used or connected to the network, do not successfully receive timely security updates, leaving them open to being a cyber security risk.

Devices that have been identified by the IT department as being unused, off the network and unavailable or otherwise unable to be updated are now being disabled.

Users of affected devices have been regularly issued notifications highlighting an urgent need to contact the IT Service desk. Colleagues that have disregarded these notices will find their devices disabled.

This means that users attempting to login to a machine that has been disabled by the IT team due to it not being used, updated or located will be met with the notice below explaining, “The security database on the server does not have a computer account for this workstation trust relationship”.

Colleagues who have devices that are not actively used should ensure they return these to the IT department for reissue. When devices are required, they can be sourced by contacting the IT Service desk on ext. 4050 or by contacting the Chat with the IT Service Desk.

Thanks again to those of you who have been proactive in keeping the Trust cyber secure.