Are You Doing Everything You Should to Protect Your Company’s Intellectual Property?
Data Loss Prevention (DLP) is an information security tool that can detect and report potentially suspect movements of your company’s data into the possession of unauthorized persons. DLP systems have become primary security tools within the large corporate arena with these companies investing millions into the systems and expertise needed. The good news is that just as with any leading-edge technology, eventually that capability becomes scalable and affordable for the small business sector. JETT Business Technology can deliver a DLP solution into your company’s business network that can help you to better protect your most valuable assets – your company’s intellectual property.
Your company’s intellectual property (IP) is defined as any and all information that you deem as
critical and valuable to your success and that gives you competitive efficacy and advantage in your marketplace. Your IP likely consists of sales leads, product development, customer lists, marketing collateral, formulas, cost analysis, supplier agreements, service quotes, recruiting, financial reports, product or service pricing, sales plans and strategies, designs, and project bids to name a few. Protecting your IP from falling into the wrong hands can be critical in sustaining a healthy and profitable operation.
DLP is not designed to protect your IP from the criminal hacking of outsiders (known as the Outsider Threat). Your firewall, antivirus, virtual private network, and identify management and authentication systems should be in place to thwart the Outsider Threat. DLP is designed to identify and call out the Insider Threat. Said plainly, the Insider Threat consists of the employees and contractors on staff in your operation. Insider Threat activity is likely most often the unintentional errors, omissions, distracted decisions, careless or thoughtless moves made by your employees that can steal, ransom, and destroy your money, your time, your resources, and your company’s profit and reputation. In certain situations, however, the Insider Threat emerges in the form of a disgruntled or malicious employee who’s ready to leave your business and take some component of your IP into their next job or career. No business owner wants his/her hard-earned trade secrets to be stolen and used for the profit of others.
If the Insider Threat is something that’s been on your mind, contact JETT Business Technology at 678-387-5717 for the expertise you’ll need to mitigate this ever-present risk.
