Layoffs Leading to Data Theft

Who doesn't get a bit angry when they get laid off from a job? Certainly it is one of the worst aspects of being an employee. Not only are you losing your job, but you are losing it in most cases not because you are a poor employee, but because your company isn't doing well, or they aren't running it well. Often times they come with out much warning. Many times you may even feel like you have a somewhat secure position that will last for a while and go out and long-term credit commitments like engagement rings, or even a home only to find yourself out of work. So...what do you do when that happens? Some people would like to turn turn to data theft if they thought they could get away with it.

In a poll of 226 workers on Wall Street, 58 percent said they would download sensitive corporate data as a pre-emptive move in case of job loss. Forty percent admitted they have already done so, according to Cyber-Ark, a Massachusetts-based IT security firm.

It is easy to see why on Wall Street. If you are in a sales position and you have a contacts list, you almost certainly will want to take it with you. After all, you probably built the list. Those are your clients, and they are working with you.

According to those polled, the data they would take includes customer and contact databases, plans and proposals, product information, and access and password codes.

Sixty-two percent of workers said it was easy to sneak company information out of the office. Nearly half said they would use a memory stick, while others said they would use e-mail, encrypted storage websites, CDs, and even cameras.

It isn't as prevalent in smaller businesses, but simple deterrents can be used according to Adam Bosnian, Cyber-Ark's vice president of products and strategy.

"Let employees know that you're going to keep an eye on your sensitive information, even if you don't put a software solution around that," Bosnian said. "That's a very low-cost and very effective way for small businesses to deter theft."