Entrepreneurs and business leaders should be regarded as a wakeup call and examine how they protect their confidential business information and intellectual property from unauthorized disclosure. Often, the greatest danger comes from leaks internal rather than external security violations. To date, WikiLeaks site depended mainly on an employee or otherwise initiated which first and foremost the leakage of confidential information.
Confidence is not enough to protect your business, so here are some tips to reduce the potential risk of your company a leak and the legal responsibility.
Identify your information "mission critical" and keep on a need to know basis.
What information would be detrimental to your company if it has been disclosed, and who has access? Even if you are not a top secret as Coca-Cola formula, your company has probably trade secrets must be protected and even potentially embarrassing information which would be negative about your brand or reputation light to shine. In General, trade secrets are determining how that gives your business an advantage in the marketplace and may include business plans and others even private - information that is in the form of customer lists.
Not forget your confidential information of the company to receive protection under the act as a trade secret, you must start taking reasonable precautions to protect them - usually by restricting access to this information.
Legally, protect your information.
In addition to restrict access, you can configure additional legal protections to discourage illegal leaks. Confidentiality or nondisclosure agreements must be signed by all employees and independent contractors, and also by existing and potential trading partners. Always ask the parties sign the agreement before share you any sensitive information.
Consider adding a section to your HR manual spelling the responsibility of each employee to protect confidential information. Policies can discourage illegal leaks and give you a legal advantage should information out, despite all your efforts.
Track and monitor access to, and limited copying of confidential information.
Bradley Manning, the soldier who allegedly stole it documents classified military personnel and their past WikiLeaks, had claimed to listen to a CD of Lady GaGa, while he was actually copy cables classified on the same CD.
This could have been easily avoided if there were technical measures in place to prevent an employee to copy information onto a CD drive or zip. That reasonable security measures are in place, unusual behaviours monitoring can also help identify suspicious activity that might indicate a potential leak.
Protect yourself from responsibility to the user if you are a service provider.
Small businesses should take a lesson from the big suppliers who refused service on site WikiLeaks. Amazon, PayPal, visa and others cite shortcomings in their terms of service as justification for refusal to Wikileaks service agreements. If there is pressure from the Government on these service providers, it is likely that the primary motivation of WikiLeaks dumping was to protect themselves against liability for alleged illegal WikiLeaks activities. Learn from these companies and good contracts has implemented to protect your company - responsibility and avoid being at the mercy of the actions of someone else.
Charley Moore is the founder of rocket lawyer legal services website and legally easy blog editor. He argued this VentureBeat column.
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