Paying the damage

[NotAllThere]

Hand the problem over to your public liability insurance.

[billybiro]

Where that might be true there is absolutely no reason to turn down a piece of kit if it's offered.

Other than the exact reason that started off this entire thread, of course!

[northernladuk]

Other than the exact reason that started off this entire thread, of course!

Now that is true.

[malvolio]

Bollocks to you.

It is 2019, not 1975. It is perfectly possible to secure one's own internal IT network and systems such that there is zero threat from staff or contractors own devices.

Paranoia over such things really says far more about the inherent insecurity of the configuration of the client's own systems, in which case, the physical equipment is the least of your concerns since working in such an environment means one tiny slip could mean deleting their core database or some-such. Therefore, you'd better make sure your professional indemnity insurance is up to date and watertight as you're quite likely to need it.

You are totally missing the point. You have to adhere to the client's AUP requirements. They will almost certainly bar "foreign" kit from connecting to their network, or impose other restrictions such as OS and patch level, specific AV and other demands up to and including the use of BYOD software to partition them from your stuff. If the AUP does permit connection of your kit then fine, that's the client's risk evaluation. But don't try it at a bank or any PS client with more that half a dozen staff.

It's nothing to do with being up to date (as a service consultant I am perfectly well up to date thanks, including how secure systems work up to DV standard) or being a real contractor. Commercial and Security risk extends a long way past some database app, or hadn't you noticed?

You can argue they are wrong, and you may well be right if your kit is in good order (as mine is, since I care about other people's stuff arriving unannounced on my network) but that is not actually relevant.

[jmo21]

It is 2019, not 1975. It is perfectly possible to secure one's own internal IT network and systems such that there is zero threat from staff or contractors own devices.

While this is clearly true, I wonder how many places would let u BYOD (and connect to their network)

Nowhere I've worked thats for sure.

[TheCyclingProgrammer]

While this is clearly true, I wonder how many places would let u BYOD (and connect to their network)

Nowhere I've worked thats for sure.

Everyone's experiences are different...I've never worked at a client that hasn't let me use my own laptop. I've never used a client-provided device. I've worked from everything from startups, to FCA-regulated PLCs. I would refuse to use anything other than my own equipment (I don't generally do much on-site work anyway).

[jmo21]

Everyone's experiences are different...I've never worked at a client that hasn't let me use my own laptop. I've never used a client-provided device. I've worked from everything from startups, to FCA-regulated PLCs. I would refuse to use anything other than my own equipment (I don't generally do much on-site work anyway).

Of course, I didn't say they were, I stated my experience.

What type of work do you do?

My contracts are all on site (bar some side contracts for old clients) and I've worked with hundreds of contractors, all working on client machines.

[TheCyclingProgrammer]

What type of work do you do?

Software dev.

[Lance]

Bollocks to you.

nice....

It is 2019, not 1975. It is perfectly possible to secure one's own internal IT network and systems such that there is zero threat from staff or contractors own devices.

very true, but also laughable.
Any client, with a view to security, will not allow you to do this, unless you have one of their builds installed (and that's rare anyway).
If you're a consultant, without access to company data then your own equipment is fine. If you're a developer, working ion client's internal business systems, then it's almost certain that you'll have to use their equipment, for more than just security reasons.

Paranoia over such things really says far more about the inherent insecurity of the configuration of the client's own systems, in which case, the physical equipment is the least of your concerns since working in such an environment means one tiny slip could mean deleting their core database or some-such. Therefore, you'd better make sure your professional indemnity insurance is up to date and watertight as you're quite likely to need it.

well that's just horsesh1t

[jmo21]

Software dev.

Me too.

Your experience surprises me, and I still think you must be in the minority.

Anyway, what is happening to the OP is a silly situation, and one that most would document/photograph when receiving a broken device.