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Computer Forensics: Unique computer use policy
A new
trend in the American workplace: Computer Forensics
The
investigator waited until midnight, when the plant was empty, and
thousands of computers had “slipped into screen-saver slumber.” Furtively,
he sat in front of a colleague’s personal computer. In half
an hour, the detective made an exact copy of the colleague’s
hard drive. Then, using a program called Encase, he uncovered hundreds
of pornographic images, which eventually cost the coworker his
job.
Workplace computers are company property, so employers may inspect
their contents. Only in Connecticut must employers inform workers
of computer monitoring. According to the American Management Association,
45 percent of our nation’s large companies use “computer
forensics” to electronically monitor workers’ computers.
The number of employees involved in Internet-related crimes or
violations of company computer use policy is rising. Dow Chemical
fired or disciplined 200 employees for trading dirty jokes and
photos by e-mail. Then Xerox fired 40 workers, and the New York
Times terminated 23 employees for similar violations.
Recently a small firm in Utah noticed that its servers were full.
An employee remarked that several workers were regularly downloading
music albums from Napster. The albums ended up on the servers,
taking up megabytes of valuable space. An innocent (or intentional?)
act had disrupted this company’s day-to-day operations.
Smaller businesses usually can’t afford the $200-450-per-hour
fees charged by computer forensics consultants. But, by publishing
company computer/internet policies and corresponding consequences
for violations, requiring employees to sign compliance documents,
regularly checking e-mail and hard drive contents, and asking employees
to report infractions, small businesses can begin to police their
own computer systems. Making employees aware that forensic software
and personnel are available could deter some workers from wrongdoing.
Call AmCheck for assistance in developing a computer use policy
at 888-AMCHECK.
(Source: Miller, Greg “High-Tech Snooping All in
Day’s Work; Security: Some Firms Are Now Using Computer Investigators
to Uncover Employee Wrongdoing” Los Angeles Times HR News
Wire.)
AmCheck offers nationwide Computer Use Policy suitable to your
business needs. Get a quote.
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