Site blocked at work

[Jumpy]

Thanks to the hackers that have graced us with their presence a couple of times in the past week or so, this site is now blocked by my work's firewall. The reason it gives is "Hacking", just like that. I know the firewall just monitors the search tags listed on a site and has a list of key words that it uses to block sites.

My question is, did the hackers leave some tag words on the site that can be changed, perhaps? It would really suck if I couldn't waste my work day with you guys anymore.

[Muskie]

I can look into it, but we restore the template each time so the tags shouldn't be in there.

[Jumpy]

I was afraid you'd say that. Anything you can do, I appreciate. It sucks not knowing what's going on on the board while I'm at work.

[blobfan]

I'm in the same boat. What's odd is that it isn't completely blocked so sometimes I can view a page if I refresh or try to access it from the forum instead of the home page. Looks like my only option is to ask IT to unblock it. I'm not sure I can come up with a business case for that.

[Muskie]

www.xavierhoops.com/forums

does this link get around your block?

[blobfan]

www.xavierhoops.com/forums

does this link get around your block?
That's how I access thesite but they blocked warning continues to come up, seemingly at random.

[Kahns Krazy]

Do your companies use "websense"?

It's blocked here too.

Good thing I'm crafty.

[coasterville95]

Everybody back to work!

Just kidding, don't play the debbie Downer card on me kahns. Seriously, imagine trying to survive the work week last week without that group therapy known as xavier hoops.

[ballyhoohoo]

its vlock at mine also, the blue grey screen that says "hacking"

[MADXSTER]

It's block at work for me too. websense

Maybe we all work at the same place and don't even know it.

[xubball93]

We're not supposed to use the internet at work for "nonwork related" surfing and they monitor what sites we hit. I'm going to get so busted next week when xavierhoops.com shows up as my #1 hit site. Oh well!:D

[ballyhoohoo]

It's block at work for me too. websense

Maybe we all work at the same place and don't even know it.

Haha, you never know, any of you guys work for FEI?

[blobfan]

Haha, you never know, any of you guys work for FEI?

Nope. There are a lot of X grads in my office though.

[XURunner85]

I am not allowed to log in while I am at work but I can visit as a guest, this keeps me in tuned with what is going on in here and keeps IT from blocking my favorite site, other than our own site that is.....whew...that was close.

[DAllen15]

Count me among the "blocked at work because of Websense" crowd. I also get the "hacking" error message.

[Kahns Krazy]

Count me among the "blocked at work because of Websense" crowd. I also get the "hacking" error message.

Score one for the taxpayers.

[wkrq59]

Laptops, especially slightly used new ones are getting cheaper. Would wifi be a solution or can that, too be blocked?

[coasterville95]

My hunch would be that if the WiFi is being provided by the employer, it would have the same restrictions on it as the wired connections. (Plus it may be kind of dubious setting a laptop up at your workstation with no business need.)

Now, if you had an aircard, and your not in a cellular dead zone in your building, that could be an option. Also if you can deal with the tiny screens, iPhones, Blackberrys, and similar devices come in handy. I think Dell now sells a 7" mini netbook complete with aircard built in, that has a reasonable sized screen and keyboard.

As far as a business case, given our recent coaching change, consider the grief and mournng process the group as a whole went through here. If you went into grief/mournng over the loss of a loved one, the company might allow you assess to an Employee Assistance program or counseling program, and that is if they didn't give you the day off (funeral leave). In this case you are tying up two FTE's with the counselor (who probably doesn't understand why you got so worked up over a basketball coach), as wll as your own FTE (you weren't going to avail yourself of counseling on your own time were you?). So yoour tying up two FTE's and not getting the support you need. With XavierHoops you are only tying up your own FTE (for limited period of time each day) while still getting work done, and you are being 'counseled' group therapy style by people who understand, people who can empatize with you. Therefore, your business case is that you are reducing utilization expense of the company counseling program. Now, I want to be a fly on the wall when you present that rather flimsy business case.

[XU-XHI]

I'm not sure I can come up with a business case for that.

Continuing Education...Lifelong Learning!

[PM Thor]

Laptops, especially slightly used new ones are getting cheaper. Would wifi be a solution or can that, too be blocked?


Q with the Answer!

First, you guys have it easy. I have NO internet at all at work. None. Nothing.

So I have two solutions. First one is a web enabled cell phone. My Iphone can surf with impunity. It is pretty slow, but it works.

Second, look into laptops, or better yet, that new idea of netbooks. If you have a good wifi connection at work, one that you can piggyback where THE MAN can't lock you out (like I do) then it's worth it. A netbook costs something like $300.

There are some easy workarounds if you check it out.

I HATE dayton.

[Jesuit4Life]

Have any of you guys tried using a proxy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_proxy)? I know very little about them, but using one such as Proxify (http://proxify.com/) might be able to get around site-blocking software. The "security" configuration option is probably what most of you want.

I'm not going to guarantee that it won't leave any of your web tracks behind, but it might be a good option for weeks like the last one where everyone was dying for updates (Hopefully we don't have too many more weeks like that in the near future!).

[Kahns Krazy]

1) For whatever reason, this site is no longer blocked. Hooray for whoever fixed that.
2) Most companies that monitor internet access block proxies as well.
3) If you're willing to pay, and have a home PC you can leave on, gotomypc might work for you.

[Jumpy]

Yeah, I'm free to roam the halls of XavierHoops once again. All is right with the world.

[Kahns Krazy]

Score one for the taxpayers.

DAllen15 decided to neg-rep me for this one. His comment was "Don't you have to have a job to be a taxpayer?"

Good one, DAllen. I'll make sure to relay that to 14-year-old me when I invent my time machine.

The rest of you can feel free to rep me for no reason to offset Grumpy.

[coasterville95]

Sorry, I tried, but I have to spread the reps around first. I still owe you reps for the whole bus trip!

[bobbiemcgee]

Snipe would be glad to copy and paste each new post and send it to your work e-mail....just part of the service.

[DAllen15]

Yeah, I guess it wasn't as hilariously funny as "Get back to work". I assume it took you a few hours to come up with that sidesplitter? I know it passes for funny at your hillbilly bars, but really.

And it was so newsworthy that you brought it to the board. Nice. You neg-repped me, I send you a private message, and you go public to enlist support. Some things never change, do they?

[XU 87]

How in the world did you get so many red blocks? That's incredible. I doubt Eastside Jay can even come close to that.

[Kahns Krazy]

Yeah, I guess it wasn't as hilariously funny as "Get back to work". I assume it took you a few hours to come up with that sidesplitter? I know it passes for funny at your hillbilly bars, but really.

And it was so newsworthy that you brought it to the board. Nice. You neg-repped me, I send you a private message, and you go public to enlist support. Some things never change, do they?

Are you sure you even know who I am? No job? Hillbilly bars? This coming from the guy who ordered a fish sandwich at Zips then proclaimed Quatman has a better burger.

I should thank you. You are nearly single handedly responsible for this board existing. People were so tired of your crap that they contribute money to create a place that you aren't. Then you try to sneak on under some alias, but you just can't help yourself.

And don't act like you took the high road sending me a "private message". You neg repped me too, and you brought it to the board.

Some things never do change. I don't like you on this board any more than I did on the other one. Why don't you go back there?

[DAllen15]

<<How in the world did you get so many red blocks? That's incredible.>>

It's a gift. I'm currently the hands-down leader in negative rep points (-591), and, like the PGA Tour's "Drive to a Billion" (re charitable fundraising), I'm hoping to top the -1,000 rep points at some point, which I have to feel will be an unbreakable record. We all want to be remembered for something.

[coasterville95]

But Quatman's DOES have a better burger than Zips!

(Yes, I have had beers and burgers at both places)

[BENWAR]

I tried to rep you Kahns but it wouldn't let me.

You can rep me for the first time if you want.

If it wasn't for Fred, I would have very little rep power.

Thanks Fred!!!!