When it comes to investigating employee misconduct and the theft of data by an employee, many employers are unaware of what steps need to be taken or how to proceed with a criminal case. Employers will often assign their own IT staff to investigate, but this not only opens the door for accusations of bias; IT personnel are not familiar with the rules and protocols that govern the collection and preservation of electronic data for trial. Without a trained digital forensic examiner conducting the investigation, any information you uncover could end up being deemed inadmissible at court. With Precise’s digital forensics packages, employers can have the peace of mind that an investigation will be done quickly and thoroughly, and that they will have access to expert witnesses and support should a criminal case be pursued.
Theft of Data by Departing Employees
In 2009, Ponemon Institute – a Tucson based research group – conducted a study that found that nearly 60% of employees who quit or are fired steal company data when they leave. Of those who admitted to taking data, 79% said they did it with full knowledge that they were not permitted to take the information, and 67% said they took the data in order to leverage a new job.
Among the data taken, 65% took email lists, 45% took non-financial business information, 39% took customer contact lists, 35% took employee records, and 16% took financial information. While many of those surveyed took paper documents or hard files, the majority stole digital information by downloading it to CD, DVD, or a USB memory stick.
With the increasing popularity of work-from-home positions and BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policies, it is easier than ever for employees to steal proprietary information from their employers – and harder than ever to police employee activity. With Precise’s Departing Employee Package, we can help you determine if a departing employee has obtained, destroyed, or currently possesses intellectual and proprietary company property. We can also uncover whether an employee has violated a non-compete/confidentiality agreement.
Investigating Employee Misconduct with Digital Forensics
In the last couple years we have seen the public increasingly demand an immediate response from employers when there is suspicion of employee misconduct. Employers don’t want to rush to judgment, but a prompt response is crucial to maintaining a good public image. With our Employee Misconduct Package, Precise provides time-sensitive results regarding an employee’s social media, mobile messaging, and email activities to employers in the scholastic, public and private sectors. When an event triggers potential liability and/or attracts media attention, call the experts at Precise right away.
Expert and Time-Sensitive Digital Forensics Investigations
For more information on Precise’s digital forensics services, call us today at 866-277-3247 or email consult@precise-law.com.
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