It seems that employee data theft is more a question of “when” than “if.” And for most employees, the “when” is after quitting or being fired. A recent study by Biscom – a cybersecurity firm – found that 85% of employees admitted that, upon leaving the company, they took company documents and information they had created. Additionally, 30% of employees admitted to taking data they hadn’t personally created. This data included intellectual property, source codes and patent filings, customer databases, strategy documents and other trade secrets. This information is ultimately used by the former employee(s) to gain employment with a competitor or start their own business.
So how can you be certain that a departing employee isn’t stealing from your business? By calling the digital forensics experts at Precise. With our Departing Employee Package, we help you determine if employee(s) have obtained, destroyed, currently possess, or are actively using intellectual and proprietary company property. We can also ascertain if they have violated a non-compete or confidentiality agreement.
When Should I Call a Digital Forensic Expert?
As soon as you suspect theft has taken place, call the experts at Precise. Electronic evidence can be fragile, with important information being overwritten by simply turning on a device. Trying to conduct your own investigation first can damage critical information and make a proper digital forensic investigation much harder.
So how can you tell if your fears are grounded without poking around the employee’s computer? Here are some tell-tale signs to watch out for:
- Working odd hours or establishing remote desktop connections during non-work hours
- Transferring large amounts of data on the company network
- Sending emails with attachments to personal accounts
- Visiting file sharing sites such as Dropbox or Google Drive
- Plugging a personal USB thumb drive or hard drive into a computer
Uncovering Digital Footprints
No matter how well an employee covers their tracks, there is still evidence to be found. With the use of specialized software, our digital forensic experts can discover crucial evidence, such as:
- Recently opened and/or altered files
- Use of cloud storage
- USB activity
- Files sent to personal email accounts
- Recently printed documents
- Internet activity
The results of our analysis can give you the evidence you need to pursue legal action, such as a temporary restraining order, permanent injunction, or subpoena of personal devices. Most importantly, our experts ensure a clear chain of custody and proper collection techniques, avoiding spoliation risks.
Precise: Trusted Digital Forensic Experts
For the last 17 years, Precise has been providing state-of-the-art legal support services at an affordable price. Small- to medium-sized businesses are more likely to suffer employee theft, and you shouldn’t need a Fortune 500 budget to protect your data. If you suspect departing employee theft, call the experts at Precise: 866-277-3247
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