Powering Down Cyber Threats and Attacks from Former Employees | Practical Law

Powering Down Cyber Threats and Attacks from Former Employees | Practical Law

Resources to help employers prevent cyber threats from departing employees. This Legal Update includes a discussion of preventative steps that employers can take to protect trade secrets and confidential information during the hiring and termination of employees.

Powering Down Cyber Threats and Attacks from Former Employees

Practical Law Legal Update 0-585-3107 (Approx. 4 pages)

Powering Down Cyber Threats and Attacks from Former Employees

by Practical Law Labor & Employment
Law stated as of 21 Oct 2014 • USA (National/Federal)
Resources to help employers prevent cyber threats from departing employees. This Legal Update includes a discussion of preventative steps that employers can take to protect trade secrets and confidential information during the hiring and termination of employees.
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), disgruntled and former employees pose a significant cyber threat to US businesses due to their authorized access to sensitive information and the networks businesses rely on. These insider threats have caused employers to incur significant costs, which range from $5,000 to $3 million. DHS has defined "insider threats" as "a current or former employee, contractor, or other business partner who has or had authorized access to an organization’s network, system, or data and intentionally misused that access to negatively affect the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of the organization’s information or information systems."
Employers should take proactive steps to prevent these insider cyber threats by:
  • Limiting disclosure of confidential information to those who need to know.
  • Putting in place appropriate security measures and contractual protections.
  • Training employees on the importance of confidentiality and define the universe of information that must be protected.
  • Adopting a plan for a prompt response to inadvertent disclosure of trade secrets.
Practical Law has many resources to assist employers in their efforts to secure their valuable and confidential information when hiring or terminating employees, including: