Data-Gain… Just As Bad As Data-Loss?

There is a lot in the press about data-loss – some is inadvertent some is by the malicious insider and some is from hackers. However there is another side to this story – data-gain. What if someone brings information into your organization without you knowing – but that then gets you into trouble? OK, so it sounds a little far fetched, let’s use an example… Formula 1. In this case an employee from one team left to go to a rival and took information with him. The first team found out and the result, in court, was a $100m fine for cheating.

In this case the defence was that the information wasn’t known about and wasn’t used and … When looking at data-loss and how you can protect against it, it is also worth looking at data-gain, information that you shouldn’t have and while ‘not knowing’ may seem preferable at first glance, the head-in-the-sand defence doesn’t work in court.

Forewarned is forearmed.

March 10, 2008 | Filed Under data-loss | Leave a Comment