Aside from the routine internal and external threats to your company’s sensitive data, economic factors can have an impact. When economic conditions are tough, as they are now, higher pressure and leaner teams can lead to frustration, and occasionally, employees may turn to theft or malice. Meanwhile, a strong economy can cause team members to look for greener pastures, and they may take proprietary information with them, which effectively puts you in competition with your own innovative practices and products. So, there’s always a reason to amp up your data security measures.
Essentially, there is no best time for complacency. Your data is always at risk, and you need to take strong measures to protect it.
The risks to your data during precarious economic conditions aren’t surprising. Employee dissatisfaction with increasing workloads, layoffs and the general tension that accompanies a recession or other market slowdown can lead to malicious access, use and manipulation of sensitive data. Recently terminated employees may have a desire for retribution and see the theft or tainting of company systems as an easy way to get it. Policies can only help so much, as they provide for post-event consequences, making them little more than a deterrent.
