![]() A salesperson might download operational documents a financial analyst might download customer lists. This often includes materials they did not even use as part of their work for the company. And in today’s highly competitive and litigious climate, it is equally important that companies take reasonable measures to prevent individuals from infiltrating their systems with data, documents and information from competitors and others.īelow are three key steps companies should take to prevent both exfiltration and infiltration of confidential company materials.Įxiting employees will sometimes download company materials en masse on their way out the door. Given the increase in internal data infiltration and exfiltration and the value of such claims, companies need to take appropriate steps to protect their own confidential materials. Defending these lawsuits is very expensive, with the bulk of the costs being expended upfront during the preliminary injunction phase. Companies can face reputational harm if they are perceived as engaging in such conduct. Lawsuits seeking double damages and attorneys’ fees are common. There can also be enormous financial implications for companies receiving (whether knowingly or not) materials from another company. The damage may not always be readily apparent or immediate, but loss of important confidential materials can erode competitiveness and ultimately impact market share - especially when the materials go to a direct competitor, which is often the case. Unlawful data infiltration and exfiltration have heavy financial impacts on companies whose data is stolen. Hundreds of millions of dollars were awarded as damages in 2020 alone. In fact, more than 1,300 trade secret claims were brought nationally in 2020. This is especially true beginning with the onset of the pandemic due to the shift to work-from-home arrangements. In recent years, anecdotal data and national litigation activity reporting indicate a sharp increase in data infiltration and exfiltration by employees and other individuals with internal access to confidential company materials. ![]() This process occurs far more frequently than most people realize. Quite often, sensitive data and confidential documents are distributed to other individuals at the new company. In either case, these individuals then go to work for another company that could be a competitor, and the materials are used on behalf of the new organization. There may not be any ill intent involved or this activity might occur only in the final weeks or days of someone’s affiliation with a company. Individuals may even print sensitive corporate materials to avoid a digital footprint. People also send company materials to their personal e-mail accounts and upload company data to personal accounts on cloud-based storage platforms. These individuals then download those materials to a personally-owned external drive, usually an external hard drive.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |