2
Perhaps you’ve read the John Grisham novel
The Firm,
or have seen the movie by the same title. In it,
the trusted attorney turns against his employers. He circumvents the modest document security features
by having an assistant copy legal files after hours by means of stolen magnetic swipe cards that are
used to track and bill clients for chargeback purposes. That was fiction, but based on real-world
experiences. Today’s threats are more complex, involving multiple media. This table identifies several
high-risk sectors that without adequate protection of data streams and stored documents leave
companies vulnerable to information theft, leaking, or falsification.
High Risk Sectors
Information at Risk
Federal Government
National Security, Military, and Trade Secrets,
Social Security, Veteran’s Administration Data
Financial
Mergers and Acquisitions, Stock Transactions
Pharmaceutical
Clinical Trials, Patent Applications, Quarterly Financial Results
General Office
Customer Lists, Executive Compensation, Restructuring Plans,
Employee Reviews, Product Launch/Pricing Plans
High-tech
New Product Design (R&D), Intellectual Property
Laboratories
Test Methods, Research Reports
Law Firms
Briefs, Depositions, Contracts
Accounting
Audit Data, Financial Reports
Medical/Hospitals
Billing, Patient Medical Records