Good Management Brings a Security Bonus.

As we are now into the start of a new year it can be difficult not to become totally focused on the needs and concerns of the business-at the expense of staff. That is not tosay that staff are neglected, after all everone's position depends on the success of the business. However, it can mean that issues can be missed and that can lead to security concerns.

Most people are feeling financial concerns and worries, to some extent.  From a security perspective these become significant when they can lead to the loss of business, money or data.  There is much discussion around as to whether people are more likely to commit insider fraud if they have financial worries, or whether that is just an excuse.  What is almost certainly true is that your business is less able to absorb the loss that deliberate or accidental loss can cause when business is slow and cash flow is tight.

Whatever the ultimate catalyst of the fraud, desperation, opportunity or challenge (there are always those who do it because they can) the first line of defence has to be management.  Especially when there are significant pressures from home it would help managers to be aware of that.

 

Because:

·                 Staff under stress are more likely to make mistakes.

·                 The majority of staff who are caught committing insider fraud cite significant financial pressures as a contributory cause.

·                 Many staff see their fraudulent actions as ‘borrowing’ or a short term thing.  They say they never intended to steal.

·                 Criminal groups are exploiting the current climate to identify and manipulate vulnerable insider staff, especially in ‘high risk’ organizations such as banks.

 

Please remember that you should not target particular members of staff for special handling or monitoring unless that member of staff has been properly informed and the matter has been discussed between the staff member and the HR department.

 

Here are some steps you can take to help to protect your business security

·                 Keep a regular check on the general level of petty cash and expenses claims.  Flag up and query significant changes.

·                 Notice significant changes in employees behaviour.

·                 Keep staff involved as much as possible, surveys and studies suggest they are more likely to defraud an impersonal business than one they feel involved in or part of.

·                 Look after your data, don’t leave it lying around or on a shared access drive