ABSTRACT

Most businesses can often detect when an outsider (nonemployee) tries to access company data either physically or electronically. As soon as this awareness is recognized, the company can then mitigate the threat of the potential outsider theft. However, a thief is harder to detect when he or she is on the inside doing the dirty deeds from within. The most damage can be caused by the insider: the employee with legitimate access who can steal solely for personal gain, or who can spy or steal company information or products in order to benet another organization or country. According to the FBI, theft of intellectual property is an increasing threat to organizations and can go unnoticed for months or even years. There are increased incidents of employees taking proprietary information when they believe they will be or are searching for a new job.