Data Leakage

Just 15 years ago, only limited amounts of data could be stored on CD and taken home. Now the equivalent of many 100s of disks can be carried on your pocket. Worse, with web sites such as www.logmein.com or corporate terminal servers, staff can access their desktop computers and network from anywhere in the world. Placing a document in the wrong folder, on the wrong network computer could expose it to the entire world on the Internet. A virus on your home computer can quickly spread to your corporate networks.

As technology gets simpler to use, mistakes are easier to make and the consequences are far more serious. The opportunities for data leaking out can easily get out of control. Laptops and smart phones are so convenient that they have become a standard for staff to work remotely from home or on the road. These and USB storage devices are notorious for getting stolen from cars, left in coffee shops, or often just plain lost. Imagine all those passwords you have saved on your laptop!

Does your organization have policies for managing these devices and network access?