A Few Good Admins

Posted by mwguy on Mon 16 November 2015

So a couple of people on my team have been quoting a section of A Few Good Men recently. Additionally during a Pen test our pen tester was able to take out a number of our IP Phones. In response the following adaptaion of the the iconic response was created. I thought I'd share.

Son, we live in a world that has firewalls, and those firewalls have to be guarded by men with network scanners. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lieutenant Weinberg? I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for your POE Phones, and you curse the Auditors. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know -- that The POE Phone's death, while tragic, probably saved Compliance; and my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves Compliance.

You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don't talk about at lan parties, you want me on that subnet -- you need me on that subnet.

We use words like "compliance," "code," "vulnerability." We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punch line.

I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very security that I provide and then questions the manner in which I provide it.

I would rather that you just said "thank you" and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a scanner and stand the firewall. Either way, I don't give a DAMN what you think you're entitled to!

Feel free to modify as desired!