Commercial secret or how hard it is to protect information

How often did we hear about the commercial secret of companies? Yes, it may have bypassed you, but in the modern world of business, the problems of protecting confidential information are gaining new dimensions.

News about the leaks and exposure of corporations, the release of private financial reports, the loss of passwords of users of well-known services, even the current news about the theft of HBO's data on the game "The Game of Thrones", for which about 2000 bitcoin ($ 6 million) are required. Speculating the commercial secret is becoming more profitable.

Many of us who have ever encountered work in commercial structures have heard about the protection of privacy. Often companies establish extensive lists of types of information, the value and knowledge of which can affect their profits or losses, and give other benefits to competitors. Sometimes, of course, this is just a tool for raising the "sense of self-importance" of the leader and / or the company as a whole to a new level.

Strange, but the fact that in all large companies (with whose employees I often contact) is normal - to discuss not only wages, but also many details / details of the work itself, and in fact the confidential information in most cases is handed over by their own people (often Not consciously).

If you turn to the analyst, the world practice shows that the culprit of the leak in 70% of cases is an external attacker, and we have everything exactly the opposite. At the same time, most threats come from ordinary employees (not managers or IT specialists who have data "at hand").

It's ridiculous, but I also often faced with "businesses" who recognized all the competitors' insiders - "controlling their garbage" or, ideally, "cleaner" :) But seriously, of course, as such, there is essentially no protection of information in most of our business. Only in my memory a dozen "bankruptcies" of quite successful people who did not follow important information of their business.

Sometimes problems are visible on the surface when I visit competitors with biometric systems, the so-called protected digital perimeter of data (all activity of the equipment is monitored, ports are disabled, etc.). In this case, NOBODY controls the banal printout and take-out! Do not tell me about software that changes the slope, font and stuff, and then the security service will work :)

By the way, I recently learned that the cost of "hacking from the outside" has significantly decreased (at times). Mainly because of the massive use of personal mail for the transfer of work data, open Wi-Fi networks and devices not designed to protect information (including obsolete equipment and software).

I think that often the costs of effective information protection may not cost the protected data itself, so most do not spend time on it. However, sometimes it's better to think about how much you yourself are willing to pay for meaningful information (and its possible loss). The answer will put everything in its place.

I remember a fairly well-known idea that the more profitable a business, the more secrets and secrets it contains (which must be guarded with all its might)!