Employees Admit They'd Walk Out With Stolen Data If Fired 380
Gunkerty Jeb writes "In a recent survey of IT managers and executives, nearly half of respondents admitted that if they were fired tomorrow they would walk out with proprietary data such as privileged password lists, company databases, R&D plans and financial reports — even though they know they are not entitled to it. So, it's no surprise that 71 percent believe the insider threat is the priority security concern and poses the most significant business risk. Despite growing awareness of the need to better monitor privileged accounts, only 57 percent say they actively do so. The other 43 percent weren't sure or knew they didn't. And of those that monitored, more than half said they could get around the current controls."
This Survey was Stolen (Score:2, Funny)
sad news is that we can only see this survey because some schmuck got fired.
What, you don't have backups at home? (Score:4, Funny)
I thought that's data protection 101.
When I fire someone... (Score:5, Funny)
When I fire someone, there is a significant amount of planning that goes into it, and the whole process takes about 4 weeks.
When I decide it's time for someone to go, I have HR stage a company-wide reaffirmation of adherence to company policy. Employees are reminded that they are not allowed to bring any company data home on thumb drives (which technically they aren't allowed to bring in from home or leave the office with anyway), personal laptops, phones, and so on. During this initiative, they are asked to bring in any thumb drives they have with company data, and make sure they erase company date from their personal devices. I instruct the IT department to assist any employee who asks for help with locating and purging company data.
We are certain to remind them that this is to protect the company from security issues and corporate theft, reduce legal costs, and so on.
After about a week of that, we install a keystroke logger and screenshot collector on the employees PC, and collect all of their passwords to local resources, databases, servers, and so on. We monitor their computer activity 24/7 to make sure it will be a clean break. This is also useful for creating justification for violations of IT policy, since most employees violate it by using their company-owned computer for personal endeavors (email, non work-related web browsing, etc), which is against IT policy and subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.
After a week or two of monitoring, I get the ball rolling with HR and IT. I submit the necessary termination documentation to HR, and IT generates a script that instantly locks them out and changes all of their passwords so that they cannot access any company resources.
We usually try to execute a firing when the terminated employee is in a meeting or other place where s/he will not have immediate physical access to items at their desk or lab. I usually just pop my head in the door and say "Hey XYZ, I need your help for a second." We walk back to my office, where HR is waiting with the termination paperwork, while IT removes their laptop from their desk and locks all of their drawers and cabinets.
To communicate the firing, I actually read from a script, because the lawyers are very particular about the language and what is said. Security escorts the employee to their work area and supervises and thoroughly documents any personal effects they take with them. They are not allowed to take any memory devices with them, including those in picture frames, without first having them checked by IT for company information. Picture frames are also disassembled and other items searched as thoroughly as possible.
Terminated employees are also searched/wanded on their way out to ensure they are not hiding things like USB keys or hard drives on their person.
It's an arduous process, but it's my job to protect the company from thieves.
Re:Best Pratices (Score:5, Funny)
I told those fudge-packers I liked Michael Bolton's music.
Re:Best Pratices (Score:5, Funny)
Actually.... you all got it wrong.
Best practices are to just lose his paycheck, promise to look into it, keep moving him into smaller and more cramped cubicles, then eventually the basement, and finally steal his stapler that he brought from home . He should just leave quietly.
Re:Best Pratices (Score:5, Funny)
engaging in non-network sabotage
such as hiding shrimps or French cheese in false ceilings or raised floors...