DEBRIS.COMgood for a laugh, or possibly an aneurysm

This story is hilarious and explores one of the risks of growing a company too quickly. The text below was written by Bruce Schneier in his monthly e-newsletter Crypto-Gram. If your interests include computer security, privacy, or cryptography, you should read Schneier’s stuff — see the Crypto-Gram archives.

from Bruce Schneier’s Crypto-Gram, 12/15/00

Social engineering at its finest: The Nov. 27 issue of The New Yorker has a story written by someone who quit his job to write, but discovered he never got anything done at home. So he strolled into the offices of an Internet startup and pretended to work there for 17 days. He chose a desk, got on the phone list, drank free soda and got free massages. He made fake business phone calls and brought his friends in for fake meetings. After 6 PM you’re supposed to swipe a badge to get in, but luckily a security guard held the door for him. He only left when they downsized almost everyone else on his floor — and not because they caught on; he went around saying goodbye to everyone in the office and everyone wished him well.