Are Corporate IT Departments Going Too Far With Content Filtering/Blocking?

geekcohen on 01/10/2024 - 16:28
Last edited 01/10/2024 - 16:33

I am currently dealing with a big insurance company that has a painfully annoying corporate IT block on viewing content. I am trying to provide photos and videos for an insurance claim because their assessor/builder did a "remote inspection" via video/phone call but didn't do a very good job, so photos have been requested from me. I don't mind doing that. But trying to get the content to them has become painful!

I have tried Dropbox, Google Drive, and even my own domain site to get them photos and videos. We are talking 350MB of files; these are not something you can easily send via email.

I know that early on, when email scams were new, Dropbox and Google Drive were blocked to stop scammers from providing links to fake invoices, but surely people are a little more educated now, and there are approvals/processes in place to try to avoid money scams.

What have you found to work as an alternative when having this issue? I thought that on my own domain would've worked, but it didn't.

Internet

Comments

  • jv on 01/10/2024 - 16:32
    +47

    Are Corporate IT Departments Going Too Far?

    Is India and the Philippines considered 'Too Far' ?

  • stuffandthat on 01/10/2024 - 16:32
    +18

    Bikies to deliver the files on USB stick.

    • Jake D on 01/10/2024 - 17:31
      +1

      USB drives are disabled in my office.

      • Assburg on 05/10/2024 - 07:15

        Haha

    • HeWhoKnows on 03/10/2024 - 15:23
      -1

      Alternatively ask the insurance company for a secure upload link

  • Emphasise on 01/10/2024 - 16:37
    +24

    I'll riot if my company ever blocks Ozbargain

    • MS Paint on 01/10/2024 - 16:42
      +14

      If it's your company then I'm sure it will never happen. Just fire the IT guy that blocks it if it does occur. Too easy.

      • moar bargains on 02/10/2024 - 12:40
        +8

        Don't forget to get him to unblock it before you fire him.

  • ThithLord on 01/10/2024 - 16:40
    +31

    Corporate IT usually want to limit access to file-sharing services like Dropbox / Google Drive because it can be used to share confidential material or files without any oversight.

    If you use the Corporate business standard, like OneDrive, access can be managed, audited and revoked.

    • geekcohen on 01/10/2024 - 16:45
      -3

      Corporate IT usually want to limit access to file-sharing services like Dropbox / Google Drive because it can be used to share confidential material or files without any oversight.

      Sure, that is fair enough but it should be allowed to at least view inbound items. It would be hard to police what is inbound vs outbound for Dropbox, but I am sure a security policey is available.

      • Zondor on 02/10/2024 - 21:32
        +4

        The technology that is used to filter for these cannot differentiate reliably between outbound and inbound. As the raw risk consequence (Offloading data from a corporate network on bulk) is so potentially damaging it can't be greenlit.

        • boirganz on 03/10/2024 - 17:38
          +1

          Actually all current generation filtering (cloud-based secure web gateways or SWGs) can differentiate between uploading and viewing/downloading actions, so IT can indeed create a policy that says “allow claims teams access to Dropbox/personal OneDrive/g drive, but do not allow uploading of files”

          But easier to just “block all”, so that’s often done. Allowing downloading of files from random Dropbox also allows an avenue of malware to get in.

          “Use their secure file sharing” sounds simple but most don’t actually have this set up.

        • Darude Sandstorm on 04/10/2024 - 16:59
          -1

          This is my favourite thing about the internet, people being confidently incorrect.
          They either don't work in the industry or have outdated knowledge.
          Here we can see someone who doesn't work in the industry.
          Packets in vs Packets out has been observable for thousands of years, even getting more granular and seeing file transfer and not just packets in vs packets out, protocols, file types is a non-issue, even most enterprise firewalls have specific profiles for google drive, dropbox, onedrive etc.

          I also fundamentally disagree with @geekcohen, why would you even allow downloads from file share services onto corporate drives and networks, if stuff like that needs to happen ICT/SOC will have a way to view it and ensure it's safe before passing it through.

          • Zondor on 24/10/2024 - 15:59
            -1

            @Darude Sandstorm: Which is why discussion is important regardless. All the web based filtering solutions I've been through do not have this, but if there is a solution, then I want to know.

            The big problem I see is with cloud gateways doing this is that you'd need an always on VPN back to HQ. I'm not a fan of putting in more points of failure and always prefer SAAS based solutions.

    • original15 on 01/10/2024 - 19:36
      +2

      Agree - OneDrive the go here

    • Nillionaire on 01/10/2024 - 21:49
      -1

      Corporate business standard, like OneDrive

      Anyone else notice how Gen Z have a preference to Google and Apple software over Microsoft? They're comfortable using Drive or iCloud but clueless with OneDrive. Same with Docs/Slides/Sheets or Pages/Keynote/Numbers instead of Word/PowerPoint/Excel. I'm not judging, just find it amusing.

      • ThithLord on 02/10/2024 - 08:31
        +4

        Anyone else notice how Gen Z have a preference to Google and Apple software over Microsoft?

        I haven't noticed this but I don't work with a lot of Gen Z's.

        I'd imagine they're comfortable with what they know: Google Drive from using Android, or iCloud from using Apple.

        • mousie on 03/10/2024 - 21:02

          We have google workspace at my corp. Gmail is much better than chunky outlook client / o365

          Prefer excel over google sheets.

          Many students have graduated using gsuite at high school / uni

          • ThithLord on 04/10/2024 - 08:42
            +1

            @mousie: Google Workspace was an unmitigated disaster at the last blue-chip corporation I worked at - it's a no-thanks from me, as much as I gripe about the Microsoft Suite and Windows OS in general

            • dmbminaret on 04/10/2024 - 13:23

              @ThithLord: Google workspace is a wreck if you want to use outlook client opposed to webmail. Webmail blows when 50-100% of you job is emailing.

              In saying that, google drive and photos are superior to OneDrive for personal use. Onedrive works well for business, I have network shares backing up so can access locally or online and link documents as browser favorites and SharePoint links.

      • trigomorph on 02/10/2024 - 09:57
        +11

        95 here, so i guess id be Gen Y/Z, but honestly Microsofts software is attrocious, and they keep changing the UI on everything so frequently.
        i feel like older generation's probably stick to it because theyre used to it, and i dont blame em.
        ive recently started working for a large organisation after a decade in Startups, what purposely avoid using microsoft.
        In my opinion it honestly seems like its just these bigger older organisations are stuck using microsoft as they probably cant easily move their systems to another provider.

        Also microsoft seem to just enjoy changing the UI Every few months for no reason other than to justify their subscription model. Ive used Azure for the first time coming from Git/Atlassian changed their UI probably three times over 5 years.
        Since starting at this place Microsoft has changed:
        - Teams twice,
        - Azure twice
        - TFS 3 times.

        Compare this to how many changes their competitors suites have had and id literally jump ship immediately.
        And with how they keep changing Control Panel to use more and more of the windows 8+ 'Settings' dumpster fire app, theyre about 1 more change away from me abandoning them entirely.

        • iminabrons on 02/10/2024 - 11:33
          +1

          Microsoft often changes things so that we Boomers get at least some regular mental exercises.
          The price for this little but important extra is built into the 'subscription model'.

        • jackspratt on 02/10/2024 - 13:41
          +7

          95 here, so i guess id be Gen Y/Z,

          Nope, that would make you Gen Silent.

          And congrats on being OzB's oldest member - hold on for another 5 years, and you'll get a personal letter from Scotty.

        • Roman Sandstorm on 03/10/2024 - 17:08

          @trigomorph

          Since starting at this place Microsoft has changed:
          - Teams twice,
          - Azure twice
          - TFS 3 times.

          Microsoft: largest base of users in the world, hundreds of millions, or more:

          • criticised when they do not respond to user demands for improved functionality / better ui design
          • criticised when they do respond to user demands for improved functionality / better ui design

          microsoft seem to just enjoy changing the UI Every few months

          Dunno about 'enjoy'. They do spend the equivalent of the GDP of several African countries every year working on this. I'm sure it's not lightly done. (And no…. I'm not an apologist/fanboy… and yes… they get things wrong sometimes…)

          • mousie on 03/10/2024 - 21:05
            +1

            @Roman Sandstorm: Windows ME was fantastic with active desktop. /s

          • ssfps on 05/10/2024 - 02:44

            @Roman Sandstorm:

            criticised when they do respond to user demands for improved functionality / better ui design

            Curious you say MS "better" their UI design, since the effort they put toward UI design is small compared to the past (read about win95 design process), then compare to 2015 when they fired most of their testers and decided windows was a dead husk and needed to be filled with adverts, be always-online, and azure was ms's path forward.

      • CommuterPolluter on 02/10/2024 - 22:46
        +3

        Anyone else notice how Gen Z have a preference to Google and Apple software over Microsoft? They're comfortable using Drive or iCloud but clueless with OneDrive. Same with Docs/Slides/Sheets or Pages/Keynote/Numbers instead of Word/PowerPoint/Excel. I'm not judging, just find it amusing.

        I’m Gen Z I’ve never met any of my peers like this. Could be you are imagining it?

        That being said, I have heard of schools which used the Chromebooks also using the GSuite rather than Microsoft Office. Those students (if any exist in Australia) may have more familiarity with the free GSuite tools. Beyond that, who actually feels inclined to pay Microsoft for a personal subscription to O365? I don’t have it installed on my personal computer.

        • S Baldrick on 04/10/2024 - 14:55
          +1

          Also Gen Z, it seems that most people don't realise some of us aren't too far from reaching 30 lol

      • trapper on 03/10/2024 - 11:33

        Because of iPhone mostly, they are already using iCloud from an early age.

      • CodeExplode on 04/10/2024 - 02:37

        I'm nearly 40 and have a preference for using Google Drive over Microsoft, because OneDrive has never been anything but annoying bloatware I didn't ask for which annoys the hell out of me when trying to use my OS.

        Not everybody has your experience

      • Harold Halfprice on 04/10/2024 - 23:37

        Anyone else notice how Gen Z have a preference to Google and Apple software over Microsoft?

        I haven't really

        But if it's a thing, it's probably because Google and Apple software tends to be free, and therefore accessible to younger people. Older folk are used to already working with Microsoft because that's what businesses use.

        I use Google drive for personal stuff, OneDrive for work.

  • Shifter0183 on 01/10/2024 - 16:47

    If they said email only, you could always try sending multiple reply emails, with each reply containing an attached photo, You could also try compressing the photos. Alternatively retake the photos with a lower resolution setting.

    Maybe ask them to clarify if there is another acceptable method to upload the photos. If none of these suggestions work, ask them to escalate it to someone who can override the policy.

    • geekcohen on 01/10/2024 - 16:52
      +1

      I ended up sending 1 email per photo which is okay. Videos I have tried a YouTube upload.

      ask them to escalate it to someone who can override the policy

      That would probably involve IT and that could take days to get a ticket done.

      • whyisave on 03/10/2024 - 12:34
        +3

        Upload videos to Youtube, and set to a Private video (or unlisted video).

        Then, send URLs to the receiver, to view the video.

        For photos, you can also upload photos to G-Drive,
        and send the link to that specific folder, so that the receiver can view them.

  • Nalar on 01/10/2024 - 16:49
    +8

    Isn't this THEIR problem?

    Surely they would have a solution of some sort, even if they share a One Drive folder to you and give you 'Write' permission to it.

    • geekcohen on 01/10/2024 - 16:51

      You would've thought so, but nothing was suggested and I tried multiple methods besides One Drive which probably would've worked. If what I have done (which is multiple emails with 1 attachment) works, then it should be okay.

      • Nalar on 01/10/2024 - 18:07
        +8

        Sounds a little like malicious compliance….I fully support that.

        • geekcohen on 02/10/2024 - 10:17

          I don't necessarily disagree, but it makes it very hard when email is limited and they don't provide a solution to share the requested information with them.

      • opt on 02/10/2024 - 22:40

        but nothing was suggested and I tried multiple methods

        You never asked? If they requested the photos, then surely they should have a way to receive them. Ask them instead of trying some random ways to send them the files.

        If what I have done (which is multiple emails with 1 attachment) works, then it should be okay.

        Lot of email services support sending and receiving 20–25 MB attachments. 350 MB is about 14 files at 25 MB each (uncompressed), you can Zip them into equal size attachments. In the worst case, you can send 15 or so emails with attachments.

        BTW how many photos are there? A typical 12 MP photo with a good amount of detail (which is more than enough for an insurance assessment) can be compressed down to less than 3.5 MB with JPEG. Unless you are trying to send 100+ photos, you should not need to send 350 MB of data.

    • Sendthegoods on 02/10/2024 - 21:37
      +1

      Exactly my thought. Op just needs to ask them to provide the means.

  • geek001 on 01/10/2024 - 16:55
    +1

    At work we used WeTransfer for large files that gets blocked by email size quotas. Not sure if your insurance company allows it though since they don't even allow files uploaded to your own domain, because it is technically another website that requires the insurance person to download from.

    https://wetransfer.com/

    • geekcohen on 01/10/2024 - 16:59

      I'll give it a go. I would've thought that Dropbox / Google Drive would've been more secure/reputable. But, I will try and see if I have any luck.

      • Mechz on 01/10/2024 - 22:36
        +1

        Just host a torrent and send them the magnet address.

        Or find out the emai size limit and 7zip the lot into a split archive and send each bit separately.

    • geekcohen on 02/10/2024 - 10:15

      Sadly, WeTransfer didn't work. I got a call from them and they said it hasn't worked.

      • gromit on 02/10/2024 - 23:06
        +5

        and when you got the call did you ask them for what method they officially support and use?

  • sumyungguy on 01/10/2024 - 17:24
    +1

    Have you considered reducing the image file size?

    • geekcohen on 01/10/2024 - 17:48
      +3

      Yes.

      • dtc on 01/10/2024 - 20:46

        And? Did you?

        • geekcohen on 02/10/2024 - 10:15
          +2

          Yes.

          • Marty131 on 03/10/2024 - 07:29
            +1

            @geekcohen: Out of interest, how many photos are you attempting to send?

          • I like freestuff on 03/10/2024 - 19:15

            @geekcohen: Curious what size the photos were reduced to. At work our photos go from ~6mb ea to like 300kb and you cannot tell the difference even zoomed in.

  • AustriaBargain on 01/10/2024 - 17:30
    +7

    Why would your insurer want to make it easier for you to make a claim? Claims cost them money.

    • trigomorph on 02/10/2024 - 10:00
      +4

      Honestly,. There needs to be a law, that if a company asks you to provde something, they need to be responsible for providing the easiest solution possible. The Enshittening of Previously perfectly fine services is ridiculous

    • cfuse on 02/10/2024 - 14:21
      +6

      Ex-insurance here:

      Claim disputes cost them more. If the client makes it to external arbitration then they've probably won, and the insurer pays for the proceedings either way.

      Insurance is run off actuary. We did stack the deck but not in the claims procedure itself. The place you stack is in the policy wording. Insurers are underwritten, your payout isn't our money, but the cost of our doing business is 100% on us. Claimants don't go away when they meet resistance, they just get stroppy. A processed claim is our goal, not a paid or denied one, because our money is made at the point of actuary. Everything after that is operational expenses (which are factored into the actuarial calculations in the first place).

  • Yummy on 01/10/2024 - 17:33
    -8

    Corporate IT Departments Content Filtering/Blocking

    Aka USB usage blocking.

    If you have laptop with hotspot, try Airdroid.

    • ldd-mn on 01/10/2024 - 17:45
      +15

      Did not even bother reading description, impressive

      • Yummy on 01/10/2024 - 19:02
        +1

        Oh crap

  • GordonD on 01/10/2024 - 19:18
    -7

    The nature of experts, amongst other things, is that they value whatever they are experts in higher than the rest of the community does. And they see it as the solution to every problem. So teachers want more money spent on education and see it as solving sall of society's problems. And lawyers and politicians see laws as the answer to everything. And police see more policing as the solution to everything. And of course a lot of those would be nice, but we can't spend more on everything. We only have as much to spend as we earn. So we need to spend it on the best solutions.

    The narrower people's view of the world the more important and valuable they see it to be.

    So its not really surprising that corporate IT security people, whose view of the world and careers are built around that tiny area of IT, see it as a lot more important than everyone else thinks it is. And then tell management, who really don't know much about anything but managing, so they leave the decisions to the experts. And the experts weigh everything down with more and more security. To the point where it gets in the way of other people who are experts in something else doing their job.

    Its the consequence in all sorts of areas of a society where the amount of knowledge is expanding, so people and jobs are becoming narrower and narrower in what they know. So we are doing what most people would consider too much in too many areas, except their own of course.

    You saw this sort of silliness you get from experts with the Voice referendum. A bunch of people who were constitutional lawyers were convinced that a constitutional amendment was the solution to Aboriginal disadvantage. And being experts, they convinced a lot of other people who spend their lives doing whatever experts say. Fortunately 60% of the population, the 60% that has a wider perspective of the world, saw that it a a silly way to try to solve that particular problem.

    I realise this will upset a lot of people who are experts. We should list to them as to what could be done. But when it comes to what is done, that needs to be left to people with a wider balanced view of the big picture.

    • Yummy on 01/10/2024 - 19:22
      +1

      Centerlink much lately?

    • p1 ama on 01/10/2024 - 20:57
      +9

      I realise this will upset a lot of people who are experts. We should list to them as to what could be done. But when it comes to what is done, that needs to be left to people with a wider balanced view of the big picture.

      Sorry, but this is a crock of crap.

      I mean, I'm sure everything will be fine if "people with a wider balanced view" were performing surgeries, designing bridges, and writing complex software instead of those who literally have had to acquire a degree, pass exams, obtain industry certification, receive on-the-job training, and built up knowledge and experience over many years in their specific fields.

      FWIW, your idea that experts see their area of expertise as "the solution to every problem" could not be more wrong. One of the critical requirements to become an "expert" is to know when and how your expertise should be applied and how it dovetails in with other people's expertise.

      Most of the "experts" I've come across are knowledgeable and humble and are fantastic to work with. The most annoying types are those who know nothing but think they are entitled to an opinion on things they have no understanding of because they're a "regular person".

      • mskeggs on 02/10/2024 - 01:44
        +7

        Expert reply.
        Of course, my ignorant but well balanced reply here with a wider view of the big picture is the correct one.

    • Zondor on 02/10/2024 - 21:34
      +5

      You somehow wrote 7 paragraphs while also saying absolutely nothing.

  • Drpepper666 on 01/10/2024 - 20:09
    +3

    They're not going far enough imo

  • bazingaa on 01/10/2024 - 21:40
    +1

    reduce resolution and image quality, you can get peanuts size. it would be ok as they only need to see it, no need for fine details.
    use IRFANView and play with parameters : https://www.irfanview.com/64bit.htm

    • Mechz on 01/10/2024 - 22:33
      +2

      Powertoys is also good for resizing en masse.

      • bazingaa on 01/10/2024 - 22:37

        ah, never tried that :D used to IrfanView from Win9x days :D

  • happykamper on 02/10/2024 - 07:10
    +1

    Print them out at Officeworks and snail mail them.

    • geekcohen on 02/10/2024 - 08:57
      +1

      Its a 1.5 hour round trip to Officeworks. They are already dragging their feet and the builder is the one who stuffed up. I am just correcting the builders mistake which I find very frustrating.

  • mattyman on 02/10/2024 - 08:52

    Can tell that you don't work in IT. People do still fall for scams.

    Having said that, you could ask them to provide you with cloud storage from their own system (Microsoft 365/Sharepoint/Teams/G Drive). Do they use Zoom/ Teams? Create a call with them and send the files in the chat during the call.

    • geekcohen on 02/10/2024 - 08:56
      -1

      Can tell that you don't work in IT

      False. I do. I am just not a control freak like some big corporates. I educate staff on identifying scams/concerns, etc.

      Having said that, you could ask them to provide you with cloud storage from their own system (Microsoft 365/Sharepoint/Teams/G Drive). Do they use Zoom/ Teams? Create a call with them and send the files in the chat during the call.

      Tried Google Drive and it didn't work. I have no idea about Zoom/Teams. It looks like WeTransfer has worked, but I haven't received a response.

  • dtc on 02/10/2024 - 09:18

    I dont understand why you can just reduce the file size. You are trying to send a 350mb file. Make it smaller. If the smaller ones arent good enough, try something else. But why are you ignoring the very simple most obvious solution for the more complex ones that you already know arent working?

    • geekcohen on 02/10/2024 - 10:14

      You are trying to send a 350mb file

      No, it is 350MB in total which includes two videos.

      But why are you ignoring the very simple most obvious solution for the more complex ones that you already know arent working?

      And what would the most simple solution be? Reducing, yeah, I have done that.

  • numloxx on 02/10/2024 - 11:54
    +1

    Mining companies are bad.
    One Minesite I was at. Enabled Restricted mode on YouTube. Most of the channels I normally watch were gone. Had to use VPN. It's over the top.

  • redback on 02/10/2024 - 12:15
    +3

    Upload the videos to YouTube with a private link. Could even include the photos in a slideshow form.

    Though I agree that it's shocking that you need to jump through the hoops for their lack of a suitable business process.

  • pencilhead on 02/10/2024 - 14:54
    +1

    Why are you making it your problem? You've tried.
    Tell them to send someone out to take photos / videos if they need them.

    • geekcohen on 02/10/2024 - 15:05
      +1

      Tell them to send someone out to take photos / videos if they need them.

      They have FINALLY agreed to do that today because even the insurance guy is sick of the back and forth.

  • isthisreallife22 on 02/10/2024 - 22:06
    +2

    Tell them to send you a OneDrive folder for upload purposes. This will be the "sanctioned" way.

  • noren7 on 03/10/2024 - 00:28

    If there’s a business case for access, talk to those above you to see if you can have temporary access or something.

    File sharing sites are blocked in a lot of places for cybersecurity reasons and to prevent data leaving the company unnoticed (similar reasons as to why USB devices can be blocked)

    Nonetheless, shouldn’t be up to you to find a solution for 😼

  • gromit on 03/10/2024 - 07:48
    +2

    they are an insurance company, if they did allow unvetted uncontrolled entry of files you should get the hell away from them ASAP as they are a disaster waiting to happen. If they accept external files at all it should be through an officially controlled and supported mechanism where the files can be verified prior to them getting to the agents. You should not be trying random methods to send them through you should simply be asking them, what method do you provide to get these files as evidence.

  • DiscoJango on 03/10/2024 - 07:50
    +2

    My electricity providers web inquiry form for invoices doesnt allow the $ symbol. I told them how stupid that is.

  • knk on 03/10/2024 - 10:26

    Your company should be providing you with some sort of service you can do this from.

    I'm an M365 shop, so my clients get onedrive/sharepoint to share larger documents out of like this via a link. Usually a segregated site that has these permissions enabled and designated for this.

    That said we don't hard block dropbox etc because from the other side clients sending in links from other storage providers happens all the time.

    Being insurance you have a lot more to concern yourself with, if staff could just send whatever around unvetted you open yourself up to a lot of risk as a company.

  • trapper on 03/10/2024 - 11:36

    You know all those crappy old ~1GB thumb drives you have lying around in a drawer somewhere?

    Now is the time to use one, stick it in an envelope and mail to them.

  • pharkurnell on 03/10/2024 - 12:24

    I may have missed it - what did they say to do? Just solely email? Cant snail mail them a USB with photos? and dont drop the resolution - you want best possible to prove a claim.

    YMMV

    • geekcohen on 03/10/2024 - 12:40

      what did they say to do? Just solely email?

      Correct, solely email. They suggest putting the images into a PDF and sending them that way.

      They finally agreed to send someone out from the assessor/builder to look in person and then take photos accordingly.

      • pharkurnell on 03/10/2024 - 12:48

        Thats kewl that they finally got this happening

        was it one of the el'cheapo insurance companies?

        • geekcohen on 03/10/2024 - 13:02

          Wouldn't have thought so. Its Allianz.

          • gromit on 03/10/2024 - 16:31

            @geekcohen: When did allianz stop offering an upload service, previously they always had both email for smaller files and an upload service through the claims portal

  • frondono on 03/10/2024 - 13:51

    Google drive will give you a link of the folder you can send.

  • UltimateAI on 03/10/2024 - 14:57

    It's their problem, I work with a lot of insurance companies, and while file sharing services are blocked to corporate users, either approved solutions exists or exceptions exists.

  • Vool on 03/10/2024 - 14:57
    +2

    "but surely people are a little more educated now"

    Well it's clear you don't work in corporate IT, or even look at the news. There's constantly stories of 'smart people' being scammed by 'clever' scams.

    We send out occasional simulated phishing emails, every time there's at least a few users that open or try replying to it.

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