Safe Passage

Edward Wilding is co-founder and co-director of Data Genetics International (DGI, www.dgiforensic.com). His book, “Information Risk and Security: Preventing and investigating workplace computer crime” is published by Gower (www.gowerpub.com), priced UK£75.

The business traveller faces a variety of risks. Terrorism, kidnap and ransom, and serious illness may threaten physical wellbeing but exposure to espionage, fraud and blackmail can pose a similar lethal danger to corporate health. Portable computing devices, for example, have greatly increased the risk that confidential information may unwittingly be divulged. Theft and loss of laptop computers is a perpetual worry. It is sobering to consider the following snippets gleaned from the Internet: one in ten laptops stolen are taken at airports (Better Business Bureau Study, 2000); 98% of stolen laptops are never recovered (FBI); and IT security personnel admit that 57% of all network security compromises originated from laptop theft (Computer Security Institute study).