Termination due to infosec violation - I downloaded a third party app - WPS office without knowing

I downloaded a third party app - WPS office without knowing that it's a infosec violation in my office PC, because the firewall did not restrict me too. Is this a ground for termination due to infosec violation?

Dear Karthikeyan,

Every company has Industrial Standing Orders approved by the labour department. In the standing orders, misconducts are well defined. Please check the standing orders and find out whether downloading a third-party app is misconduct. If yes, then the company is empowered to take action against the defaulting employee.

Definition of misconduct apart, the company must conduct a domestic enquiry. The enquiry must be conducted as per the procedure and if the blameworthiness of the employee is established, then only the company can award a suitable punishment which could be the termination from employment also.

In your case did the company conduct a domestic enquiry?

Thanks,

Dinesh Divekar

Hi,

Normally @ IT, ITES sectors violation of IT Policy will be viewed very seriously because such unauthorized downloads might cause license issue during surprise audit by respective Channel Partners who are authorized to issue software licenses. Also the other major threat is at times some Malware also might get downloaded automatically which will harm the data in the server. For these reasons many companies use to be very rigid in such policies. However in your case direct termination seems bit hard as your act of downloading WPS office was not a preplanned and intentional one. What was the content of the termination letter?

I have not received a termination letter nor a domestic inquiry yet, as this just happened yesterday. Should I contact the HR department for the disciplinary action they are about to take against me?

Since you have not received any disciplinary letter from Management, in hand, please await.

You can also discuss with the HR person/Team Leader

Hi,

Yes you should. Please contact HR by person and explain them that it is not intentional and without knowing the IT policy did so..etc. If it is the first time I don't think they will move to termination level.. might ask for some apology letter. If so given them the apology letter.

Nothing to feel bad about this incident.. You had learned a lesson out of this which you should not repeat any where.

Hi,
Generally, companies have an IT Policy in place and the same is explained to the employee during induction.
A few companies include their policies in the employee handbook.

In case such policies were not clearly defined by your company, please feel free to talk to the concerned stake holders and clarify your stand.

Saying that the firewall did not restrict the network traffic is like absolving yourself from the act intended or otherwise.

Suresh Natarajan