Slashdot Mirror
Security Plans for When Your Senior Developer Leaves?
An anonymous reader asks: "Our CTO, responsible for all hardware and networking setup, who also coincidentally happens to be our senior (and only) developer, has just resigned to go work for the competition. We are not a software company, but he's written proprietary code that we use on a daily basis to work. What interim measures should we be taking to ensure a smooth transition to the next person hired to take over? What can we do about security, since this person designed and implemented all current security procedures? What about ensuring that we have all the intellectual property to which we're entitled? As one co-worker put it: 'His resignation was a surprise to us, but it definitely wasn't a surprise to him.' If he wanted to leave some hard-to-find malicious timed-release back-door-opening code running, it's certainly within his means. We don't expect any malicious action, and can rely on a reasonable level of co-operation and documentation before he goes, but I want to get a sense of what others have done in this situation."
I'd stick to gouging out his eyes and cutting out his tounge, lest he bring a plauge upon your house.
Or, you know, change passwords, and stuff. I hear that works too.
What were you expecting?
but I want to get a sense of what others have done in this situation."
Ask him if you could go with him to the new corporation.
"Provided by the management for your protection."
Get your lawyers lubed up and ready to go.
I think what you meant to say was "Get lubed up and get your lawyers ready to go." They are lawyers, after all. >.>
This statement is false.
This is -exactly- what I was talking about when I said the last people you want dealing with this guy is the HR department.
Might as well steal the toys off his desk, decline the steak dinner on his expense report, deduct some personal long distance calls from his paycheck, and key his car while you are at it.
Glonoinha the MebiByte Slayer
"...you need to get his favorite tech to take him off-site, dinner or to a strip club, and off the record find out why he is leaving..."
Or - you could lock him away on some Island someplace after gassing him just as he arrives at his Apartment and give him the number six as a code-name.
Why did you resign?
1) Proprietary code written, but wasn't a software company.
2) Non-compete clauses are dumb ideas. You don't want a skilled baker to work in a rival bakery? What's he going to do then? Work as a beautician? You going to pay him to do nothing? Same for programmers.
In fact some companies do pay key people to do a year or so of "gardening".
BTW if someone is really crap... e.g. Mr Anderson, you suck, we'll help your CV look good, just go work for the competition. And if you sign this "do compete clause", you'd get a USD5K bonus. j/k.