It’s a new year and yet the possibility of a recession lingers. We’re obviously not economists but if we’ve learned anything over our two and half decades of computer forensics and investigative work, it’s that employee loyalty starts to decrease during A new year is here, but economic uncertainty continues to loom, and with it, an often-overlooked risk: declining employee loyalty. While we’re not economists, decades of experience in digital forensics and investigations have shown us one thing with certainty, economic pressure increases insider threats.
During times of market instability or organizational restructuring, employees often begin preparing for the unknown. This preparation frequently involves gathering sensitive business data, not onto company systems, but copied to personal devices or cloud accounts. Their motivations vary: to gain an edge in a competitive job market, to build leverage for future roles, or in some cases, to launch a competing venture.
Occasionally, we’re brought in ahead of layoffs to help design mitigation strategies. More commonly, we’re engaged after the fact, to uncover and prove that key employees walked away with proprietary information.
Over the years, we’ve provided digital forensic evidence and expert witness testimony in a wide range of trade secret misappropriation cases. The employees involved span departments and seniority levels: engineers, business unit leaders, sales and marketing professionals, R&D teams, finance staff, and executives. The common thread? Access to sensitive information.
So, who should you be watching?
Any employee with access to your critical data, including:
- Customer lists, contact details, pricing, and profit margins
- Contract terms and deal conditions
- Business forecasts, growth strategies, and pipeline reports
- Future products or service offerings
- Proprietary software or source code
- R&D findings and innovation roadmaps
- Engineering specifications, formulas, and work instructions
- Any data that constitutes the “crown jewels” of your business
In uncertain times, job markets shift and organizational changes abound. As loyalty declines, the internal justification for data theft increases, and by the time leadership becomes aware, the damage is often done.
About Swailes Computer Forensics
Swailes Computer Forensics provides expert digital forensic services to law firms, corporations, and organizations nationwide. Our work includes investigations into intellectual property theft, employee misconduct, data breaches, and more. With decades of experience and a commitment to integrity and clarity, we help clients uncover critical evidence and take informed action.
If you’re facing a potential case of employee data theft or have concerns about unauthorized activity, contact us for a confidential consultation.