| Corporate Espionage is a growing problem and | | | | credit card fraud, and blackmail. |
| threat to more companies than you probably | | | | |
| think! Below I will dispense some information | | | | Much to the company's own downfall, security |
| every business owner should know! | | | | for this coveted information is often an |
| | | | afterthought. Most corporations are |
| What Is Corporate Espionage? | | | | developing new technologies faster than they |
| | | | can protect them. Very few companies are |
| Espionage is the practice of obtaining | | | | spending the time and money to implement the |
| information about an organization that is | | | | hardware, software, and services required to |
| considered secret and confidential without | | | | monitor and protect their information. |
| the permission of the information holder | | | | |
| themselves. In other words... spying. | | | | How Does It Happen And How Can I Fight It? |
| Espionage involves accessing the location | | | | |
| where the information is actually stored- As | | | | Corporate Espionage can happen in a number of |
| in entering an office building to try and | | | | ways, but basically it's any breach of |
| seek out the company's methods and tactics or | | | | security in your company. Methods range from |
| gaining unauthorized access to a company | | | | computer hacking, theft, and intimidation, to |
| computer. It also involves contacting the | | | | dumpster diving and personnel impersonations. |
| people who know the desired information and | | | | |
| trying to get them to slowly divulge it. | | | | A few basic things you can do to protect |
| | | | yourself: |
| How Dangerous Is It? | | | | |
| | | | 1. Make employees aware of 'Social |
| Corporate Espionage is a serious risk to any | | | | Engineering Ploys.' Make sure they are |
| business that depends on information. Any | | | | familiar with the tactics so they can |
| 'spy' who is targeting a company is seeking | | | | recognize it when something happens. Set up a |
| inside information that the company depends | | | | procedure for them to follow in the event |
| on for its success. If that outsider is able | | | | they think they are a target of a social |
| to gain access to that information, then the | | | | engineering attack. |
| company no longer has a leg up on | | | | |
| competition, it levels the playing field. To | | | | 2. Make sure you have sufficient physical |
| say the very least... | | | | building security. Your office building |
| | | | houses your employees, files, computers, |
| Some examples of information that is often | | | | servers, and all your other valuable |
| sought after: | | | | information and sources. Invest in video |
| | | | surveillance and make sure it gets checked |
| - Client List - any list of current and past | | | | often. |
| clients, their contact information, and what | | | | |
| products and services they purchased from | | | | 3. Keep the latest security software on your |
| you. | | | | computers and servers at all times. These are |
| | | | common points of attack for any corporation |
| - Supplier Agreements - information that lets | | | | so it's key to keep them locked up. |
| others know what kind of agreements you hold | | | | |
| with your suppliers, your relationship with | | | | Despite the digital world we live in, |
| them, and what you are or plan to be using | | | | dumpster diving is the most common method |
| them for. | | | | used to obtain confidential data without the |
| | | | information owner finding out. It's a messy |
| - Personal Records - records indicating | | | | and primitive method, but is very successful |
| spending habits, income, bank balances and | | | | in acquiring trade secrets. But how can that |
| account numbers, commonly called phone | | | | be? Someone can just take your information |
| numbers, credit card accounts, ect. | | | | right out of your garbage can? Yes, dumpster |
| | | | diving is disgusting and totally legal. Once |
| - Research Documents - any research history | | | | you discard it onto a public street for |
| that can help foretell where you plan to take | | | | garbage pickup, it's totally fair game. |
| the company in the next few years. | | | | Dumpster Divers have been successful in |
| | | | obtaining company phone books, organization |
| - Prototype Plans - plans, paper work, | | | | charts, memos, company policy manuals, |
| contracts, or actual physical prototypes of a | | | | meeting calendars, system manuals, login |
| new product or service you plan to offer. | | | | names and passwords, source code, disks and |
| | | | tapes and much more. |
| - A few other examples include : patents, | | | | |
| pricing strategies, source code, and unique | | | | So what can you do? |
| manufacturing and technological operations. | | | | |
| | | | Use a shredding company! Shred EVERYTHING! No |
| Any of the above information could be greatly | | | | longer is just paper print outs your biggest |
| beneficial to the unauthorized individual who | | | | liability, CD's, DVD's, hard drives, servers |
| has stolen it from you. It can lead to | | | | are all a huge threat to you if they land in |
| devastating financial effects to a company | | | | the wrong hands. Seek a company who has the |
| causing them to lose clients and money to | | | | ability to successfully destroy any and all |
| their untrustworthy competitor. The | | | | confidential matter. |
| information could also be used for scams, | | | | |