Re: Dropbox Sales/Legal messages

[Jason Edelstein <jasone () UCHICAGO EDU>]

This reminds me of the really nasty Malwarebytes tactics, but a bit 
nicer. They'd probably get a better deal out of people if they just went 
classic shadow IT and sold to smaller groups to force a central 
conversation.

I suppose this is effective for some reason, or they wouldn't do it, 
though. How curious!

-je-

On 8/12/20 12:23 PM, Barton, Robert W. wrote:
> We get them here, but they are hitting a ton of our staff and 
> faculty.  I've already said something about this to them and they did 
> not even try to stop.
>
> Robert W. Barton
> Executive Director of Information Security & Policy
> Lewis University
> One University Parkway
> Romeoville, IL  60446-2200
> 815-836-5663
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *From:* The EDUCAUSE Security Community Group Listserv 
> <SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU> on behalf of Hagan, Sean 
> <sean.hagan () YC EDU>
> *Sent:* Wednesday, August 12, 2020 11:46 AM
> *To:* SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU <SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU>
> *Subject:* Re: [SECURITY] Dropbox Sales/Legal messages
> I get those every few months from them.  I find it to be a rather 
> despicable sales tactic, and one that will not elicit a positive 
> response from me or my institution.
>
> I suppose it must work though, or they'd stop doing it...
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *From:* The EDUCAUSE Security Community Group Listserv 
> <SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU> on behalf of Theodore J. August 
> <Theodore.August () SALVE EDU>
> *Sent:* Wednesday, August 12, 2020 9:40 AM
> *To:* SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU <SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU>
> *Subject:* [SECURITY] Dropbox Sales/Legal messages
>
> Hi everyone:
>
> Have you, or someone else in your organization getting messages like 
> these from Dropbox?
>
> Hi X,
>
> I'm hoping you can provide some clarity around X's unmanaged Dropbox 
> deployment. Recent levels of activity across the X.edu 
> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https*3a*2f*2fX.edu&c=E,1,mxu248GydD-ZbqoAFyC0fqe9hqqeyQIOakBCTOUZfY7_ousODYCvY6WXaHEjrozRuMnK9jnUHdkvva3TdudXQ9Skz7R_C5AByM3dVij7vTiNP-W0yGpeLGU,&typo=1__;JSUl!!BpyFHLRN4TMTrA!qHLdzrsgBhUDEsat9iGbsJsYjpexpNHC6uARlRvd-FusQvK3vK_YxfZBoJpqI_r6hA$> domain 
> are congruent with those of our *education* *customers*, _but there is 
> no existing contract between X and Dropbox at this time_.
>
> Given that so many X  users have workflows embedded in Dropbox (over 
> 1000 as a matter of fact!), I wanted to put some time down to talk 
> about your options for user/data consolidation.
>
> Do you have 15 minutes to discuss how our education platform can 
> provide value and security in your current environment?
>
> Thanks so much and I look forward to hearing from you!
>
> And…
>
>
> Following up one last time since I hadn't heard from you. I know this 
> is often an ideal time to purchase potential tools for your 
> environment with the year coming to an end. Please let me know which 
> most applies to you:
>
> 1. I am not the correct person to discuss this with. Please contact ____.
>
> 2. I am authorized to provide consent on behalf of X for the non-IT 
> managed use of Dropbox. I am aware that people in my organization are 
> using Dropbox without the presence of a formal Dropbox Business 
> agreement and I have confirmed internally that this adoption aligns 
> with our IT policies and data governance posture.
>
> 3. I would like more information before making a formal evaluation. 
> Please set up a 15 minute call.
>
> We know people use Dropbox with their institutional e-mail addresses, 
> despite the University’s lack of support for that product.  Our 
> response to the first one is that we have no interest in any services, 
> and that Dropbox can contact end-users directly if they are violating 
> any terms of service. We have no interest in purchasing services from 
> Dropbox regardless of the number of accounts being used in our 
> domain.  I feel like #2. is some sort of informal legal 
> indemnification for Dropbox for users on our domain, and I’m not 
> willing to provide them one on behalf of our University.
>
> If Dropbox has some sort of issue with our users using free accounts, 
> they can reach out to them directly and tell them so.
>
> We see these as a “legal” leaning sales pitch… they did come from 
> someone who is working in enterprise sales…
>
> Thoughts?
>
> --
>
> Ted August
> Assistant Director of Cybersecurity and Compliance
> Office of Information Technology
> Salve Regina University
>
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