Buzz Out Loud Lounge: Download at work - Go directly to Jail - In NZ anyway

by Redhats Q - 8/23/06 3:06 AM

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Download at work - Go directly to Jail - In NZ anyway

by Redhats Q - 8/23/06 3:06 AM

a conviction for downloading on the company computer has highlighted a new type of employment theft.

/http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/425827/819939

The court has found him Guilty of "Theft as a servant" and now many companies have a new tool to stop excessive downloaders.

PC Plod - Who Knew

what I laughed at was

"there has recently been a big increase in employers abusing company computers, predominantly in intellectual property theft. Employees downloading client databases and information and either putting them into memory sticks, technical drawing sheets...then they leave and go and work for the opposition or set themselves up.

I knew of guys doing this 10 years ago, its just easier now that the memory stick, Ipod or phone with USB is everywhere.

And people called us paanoid for protecting the sensitive data we had on our render Farm.

Pssst anyone want an advance copy of ...

Oh yeah, I cant talk about that

bye

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Two sides

by djcoty - 8/23/06 6:32 AM In reply to: Download at work - Go directly to Jail - In NZ anyway by Redhats Q

Well in relation to the article, the boss gave permission for the employee to download a few tracks. So should the employer be brought to call for knowingly permitting the download of the music?

As for this side comment in the court case:

"Employees downloading client databases and information and either putting them into memory sticks, technical drawing sheets...then they leave and go and work for the opposition or set themselves up."

Yeah, that's bad - and really employers should have systems in place to protect their data. Here in the UK it is technically against the law to use encryption on computer data... but over there I'm sure they'd not have any issues just using some sort of encryption that'll make it worthless for employees to try stealing such sensative data?

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Answer from the IT guy

by cardsbb9 - 8/23/06 8:18 AM In reply to: Two sides by djcoty

I can encrypt the data sitting on a HD on some server, but for the data to be useful to the corporation it has to be able to be seen by somebody in its unencrypted form.

So that means someone, somewhere, in the corporation is going to be able to see the sensitive data anyway, which means they will be able to download it onto a memory stick.

The only data I can completely protect is data that no one cares to see. Which means worthless data.

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