Why?



Firstly, let me say later on in this article you will be in for two big surprises that may affect many businesses around the world, including yours if you have one.

Ok, so why should businesses and your boss be so worried about these mp3 players?

For one, many of these devices have large storage capacity and often can store all types of digital files.

There is often enough space to store a lot of big and small files. Text documents, powerpoint documents, audios, videos etc..

Also, it's very easy to connect such devices to a computer and transfer tons of content from a computer to an mp3 player such as the ipod.

You simply plug it in, a few clicks, and voila!

The perfect ingredient to a corporate espionage recipe.

Before I get to the two scary facts, here are some other interesting fact to take note of...

There are more and more information technologies in the workplace and it's harder and harder for companies to control and protect vital sensitive information.

There are solutions, but let's get scared for a moment...

1- Statistics show that 25 percent of employees in the United Kingdom said they would use these music devices or small memory cards to steal corporate data.

Now, for the cherry on the sunday...

2- The ipod makes catching someone stealing information using an ipod almost impossible. Even if security staff would examine the device!

Let me explain...

When you transfer files to an ipod, an entry is being created so that you can navigate through all your files stored on it. Looking at the ipod's screen, you browse through files to select the one you want to access.

Problem is, you can delete a file's entry from the ipod's list of stored files, without actually deleting the file itself.

The result?

A sensitive file can be on the ipod, yet the security staff looking at the entries or index to see what it contains would not see that file listed. As it's not even there!

Once home, an employee using this method would simply need to connect his computer to it, and read the file directly from thedevice's hard disk.

But there are possible solutions to this spy scenario...

Proper auditing and information management practices would be the best defense against such potential corporate espionage in the workplace.

Today more than ever, business stakes are high, and so are the "payoffs" of selling information to a competitor...

...so putting the time, money and effort into the implementation of such practices is a no brainer. And it should be on the high priority list of things to do of every company that possess information individuals or other companies could benefit from.

The ipod may be stylish, but anyone can be it's next victim.