Are you expected to give iT support your passwords?

[Ninetwenty]

We've recently had an IT upgrade which hasn't gone according to plan (no idea exactly what). In order to fix things IT have asked for my laptop and password.

I'm sure at previous employers IT had an "admin" password and wouldn't have asked for your personal login.

I know I can change it when I get it back, but anything they do will be under my name. There's nothing that awful they could do, in terms of data or money, but even e.g. sending an email could (if anyone was minded to use it that way) be a massive issue.

So, it makes me uncomfortable that I'm being asked. Is it usual?

Do you have anything personal on it?

Yes. They would need your password to log in and look at what the problem is. This is common.

Nope IT shouldn't be asking for your password and not should they need it. They can either log in as themselves with admin rights, or log in with an admin account.

Yes. Probably more than I should because I use the laptop for everything, but I expect they'd say I shouldn't be doing that, and even if they used an admin password they'd still be able to see that (if they were interested enough to look).

I don't think it is - they should have their own password which gives them access to my files, but would be logged as them accessing them iyswim..

Yes, thank you. I'm sure that's what I've experienced in the past. I was wondering if I'd misremembered.

They can log in as themselves or admin, or if they really need to see what happens when the OP is logged on, they can arrange to remote access the laptop at a time when she is logged in.

Thay won't snoop but thay well need your password just to make if there any issues that might be acc related on the laptop

What sort of a dodgy outfit do you work for? Never heard of that ever happening.

No, In my experience they either ask your permission to access your PC remotely or if they are there in person they look away while you type in your password.

Another one here saying they can access remotely when you're logged in. Why wouldn't IT admin have admin privileges and passwords instead of needing OP's?

Nope I've never had to give a work IT support person my password.

No, never had to give IT my password. They are very clear on that and would never ask for it. They can access via their own admin password if needed.

Not common anywhere Ive worked, I can't think of any occasion when I've given out my password

Yes this.

And this.

If the upgrade has gone a bit adrift I can't see how IT having your password is going to fix that when presumably it's a company wide issue.

Definitely not where I work- giving an IT person your password could be a disciplinary matter. Is it an actual co-worker you're dealing with in the flesh? Anyone contacting you remotely and asking for your password- I'd call your IT dept and flag it to them.

Nope, DO NOT give them your password! Especially if it’s a remote support team! This is cyber security 101…

Yeah to me IT go in as admin. There shouldn't be a reason why they'd need to have your password. But I mean you could give them it and then change it straight after. If they maintain it's an essential step to fixing the issue?

The outcome remains the same ultimately, in that they'll see whatever personal stuff you've got there if they go looking. Whether they log in as you or themselves. So on that side it might not really matter.

I wouldn't want to work somewhere where I felt the IT staff were untrustworthy in any fashion though.

They're having everyone's laptops in to do "something" to enable to update?

I can accept that might be necessary, I can't imagine they're making work for themselves, but needing my password does make me uncomfortable.

no, not usual at all.
as pp have mentioned they address the issue remotely or sit next to you while you type in your password

I did wonder if it was a test to see if OP would hand over their password. I've worked in places where that's an immediate disciplinary, doesn't matter who's asking.

Yes, I'm not worried about the personal stuff. That's a risk I took when I decided not to replace my personal PC.

I am also not really concerned that they would actually do anything business wise in my name, but it does bother me that I'll be giving them the ability to do that. More in that someone could pull me up for doing so rather than it would happen iyswim.

Yes, I think this is possibly at the back of my mind. He was initially going to sit next to me but we ran out of time and I needed to leave, so he helpfully suggested I leave the laptop and password with him.