Work Computer - Admin Rights

tmokris22
tmokris22
Community Member
edited February 2014 in 1Password 4 for Windows

New to 1Password. I have two computers, our home laptop which I've installed 1Password too and got everything working synced to Dropbox. Then, a work laptop which is really my primary day-to-day computer I use. Problem is, I cannot download any software onto this work computer without admin rights. Am I just going to be unable to use 1Password on my work computer, i.e. will have to memorize all my very strong passwords generated by 1Password at all the sites I normally visit on my work computer day-to-day (bank, credit, social, etc)?

Comments

  • DBrown
    DBrown
    1Password Alumni

    You do need to have admin rights in order for the installer to do some of the integration tasks that are required. I hope your IT department will open up that possibility for you.

    If not, remember that because you use Dropbox you'll still have read-only access to your data through 1PasswordAnywhere. Just use any browser to open the 1Password.html file inside your 1Password.agilekeychain folder on your private dropbox.com web site.

    (Please don't directly manipulate any of the files and folders inside your 1Password.agilekeychain folder!)

  • tmokris22
    tmokris22
    Community Member

    Thanks. Couple issues with this approach:

    1. No way I can get an admin to approve the usage of 1Password, I'm in a company of 270,000 employees!
    2. Dropbox is blocked by our administrators
    3. Even using the html file to open the read only data, opens it in an older version of IE, which isn't supported by 1Password.

    The only solution is every time I want to log-on to my sites I visit, is to open up the Android app on my phone and manually input the generated password for each site. This is a BIG hassle obviously. Any other thoughts on how to solve this manual entry problem?

  • DBrown
    DBrown
    1Password Alumni
    edited February 2014
    1. I don't see the connection, but I'll take your word for it.

    2. Sync'ing = viruses? Argh.

    3. My gosh, what version of IE do they have you restricted to? :(

    If the Android app allows you to copy your credentials, and you can paste them into an e-mail message to yourself, you could then that message on your PC, copy the credentials, and paste them where you need them, but—holy mackerel—what a hassle. 1PasswordAnywhere is the solution when you need access to your 1Password data but don't have 1Password installed.

    Have you tried explaining to your IT folks to explain how 1Password is a productivity enhancer (and maybe even how Dropbox is a good thing)?

  • tmokris22
    tmokris22
    Community Member
    1. They are VERY locked down when it comes to what can be on our machines and what can't. Remember, if they do it for 1 person, that means the other 269,999 technically should be allowed. Everyone is equal here (so we like to say but it's not true).

    2. I guess dropbox is way too much of a security concern to allow employees to freely use to sync files too. We do have loads of customer data we have to protect on employee machines.

    3. IE8 is what we are using currently. We are always about 3-4 years behind the times unfortunately.

    I know this is awfully pathetic, but, it's the state of our company.

    I think the solution is to copy all the credentials and paste them into an email message and house it on my desktop of my work computer. My work computer is completely locked down security wise so I don't have an issue with that, will just be annoying everytime I want to logon to my Online Banking to have to open the file and copy/paste the password.

  • RichardPayne
    RichardPayne
    Community Member

    @DBrown It's not normally viruses that are the concern with Dropbox, it's the opportunity for the removal of confidential documents. It's the same reason that such companies often block the use of USB sticks.

    Also, isn't sending passwords to yourself via email a horrible security risk? Email is completely insecure, both over the wire and sitting in mail server caches.

    @tmokris, have you tried getting Chrome onto your PC. It can be setup and run in your user profile folder which does not need admin rights. This would allow you to run 1PasswordAnywhere.

  • tmokris22
    tmokris22
    Community Member

    @RichardPayne - appreciate your response. I have tried downloading Chrome, I need admin rights to do anything regarding the download. Not sure the process to setup and run in your user profile you reference. Can you walk me through that?

  • RichardPayne
    RichardPayne
    Community Member

    Just go to http://www.google.com/chrome and download it.

    The install that requires admin rights is the one that allows you to install Chrome for all users. The one from the link above should install just for you and does not need admin.

  • tmokris22
    tmokris22
    Community Member

    @RichardPayne - our internal systems require a login (admin rights) to install anything on the PC, bottom line.

  • DBrown
    DBrown
    1Password Alumni
    edited February 2014

    Also, isn't sending passwords to yourself via email a horrible security risk? Email is completely insecure, both over the wire and sitting in mail server caches.

    I agree completely. Sorry if that sounded like a recommendation—I was just struggling to find some way to work around the Draconian restrictions imposed on @tmokris. As is so often the case, over-the-top and misdirected security rules typically lead to more insecure ways to work around them. (I'm a big fan of hiring people I trust and trusting people I hire.)

  • RichardPayne
    RichardPayne
    Community Member

    @tmokris22, I have to ask, have you actually tried it? The Chrome installer isn't MSI, or an EXE. It simply saves files into your user folder. Web browsers saving files to a your user folder is an entirely common and expected operation it should not require admin rights.

    Are you not allowed to download any web content at all?
    If not, are you even allowed to access personal websites at work? Have you checked your company's IT policy?

    Alternatively, you could try setting it up on your home PC, zip %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome and email it to yourself. Extract the zip into the same path on your work PC. I've not tried this myself but it might work.

  • tmokris22
    tmokris22
    Community Member

    @RichardPayne thanks. Yes I've tried Chrome downloading it both connecting to our network and not connected, does not work either way and asks for admin rights soon as I reach the download screen.

    And yes, not allowed to really access any personal websites that require a log-in at work. No gmail, etc.

    I can't find the folder location on my home PC for the Chrome data file. Could you help me troubleshoot that? How about via email, can you email me taylor dot mokris at gmail dot com? Thanks

  • RichardPayne
    RichardPayne
    Community Member

    Ah ok, so downloading blocked.
    Where does your Chrome shortcut point?

  • tmokris22
    tmokris22
    Community Member

    @RichardPayne Gmail won't let you send .exe files of course!

  • RichardPayne
    RichardPayne
    Community Member

    Sure it will. Zip it up and then rename the zip.

  • tmokris22
    tmokris22
    Community Member

    @RichardPayne just tried that, it won't let you send an .exe file even within a zip

  • RichardPayne
    RichardPayne
    Community Member

    Odd, mine will. Are usb sticks locked down?

This discussion has been closed.