Data theft most common among younger males and those heading for new job
28 October 2013
Lone men aged between 24 and 35 are most likely to commit data theft, according to research by law firm Mishcon de Reya.
Mon, 28 Oct 2013Lone men aged between 24 and 35 are most likely to commit data theft, according to research by law firm Mishcon de Reya.
Examination of a sample of 150 data theft cases handled by the law firm, The Recover Report, available online, also revealed that in 65% of cases, the perpetrator planned to use the information in their new role with an existing competitor, as part of ‘dowry’ data that thieves bring to get jobs with their rivals.
In 30% of cases, the data thief planned to use the data to set up a competing business.
The research focused on Mishcon de Reya cases involving dishonest employees and industrial competitors. The sample included a range of client sectors, from large listed companies to well-established and regulated financial institutions to privately owned and managed small-to-medium sized enterprises.
In other findings, The Recover Report showed that 79% of the data theft incidents reviewed involved a person acting alone and that 77% of the lone perpetrators were male.
Only 20% of the data theft incidents were committed by women or groups of women. “As with males, females predominantly acted alone, with only 3% of such cases involving a team of women,” The Recover Report said. “Only 7% involved a multi-sex team of men and women.”
Of the data brought to existing rivals, the report said, “Such data often proves to be part of a ‘dowry’ that a data thief brings to secure employment with a rival. This also raises serious questions about how much a new employer needs to know about the nature, and source, of information that a new employee brings with them, and the extent to which they should be taking steps to protect against obtaining this unfair competitive edge.”
Examination of a sample of 150 data theft cases handled by the law firm, The Recover Report, available online, also revealed that in 65% of cases, the perpetrator planned to use the information in their new role with an existing competitor, as part of ‘dowry’ data that thieves bring to get jobs with their rivals.
In 30% of cases, the data thief planned to use the data to set up a competing business.
The research focused on Mishcon de Reya cases involving dishonest employees and industrial competitors. The sample included a range of client sectors, from large listed companies to well-established and regulated financial institutions to privately owned and managed small-to-medium sized enterprises.
In other findings, The Recover Report showed that 79% of the data theft incidents reviewed involved a person acting alone and that 77% of the lone perpetrators were male.
Only 20% of the data theft incidents were committed by women or groups of women. “As with males, females predominantly acted alone, with only 3% of such cases involving a team of women,” The Recover Report said. “Only 7% involved a multi-sex team of men and women.”
Of the data brought to existing rivals, the report said, “Such data often proves to be part of a ‘dowry’ that a data thief brings to secure employment with a rival. This also raises serious questions about how much a new employer needs to know about the nature, and source, of information that a new employee brings with them, and the extent to which they should be taking steps to protect against obtaining this unfair competitive edge.”
- Click for more on the way firms should deal with potential cyber security issues from Mishcon de Reya, as reported by recruiter.co.uk last week.
