E D I T O R ’ S
L E T T E R
Always on the Lookout
In the season premier of Law & Order Special Victims Unit, the story centered around the disappearance of a little girl who was eventually found, only to accuse her parents of mental and emotional abuse. Essentially, the girl ran away from home due to a smothering mother — played tremen- dously by Joan Cusack — who was so paranoid about her daughter’s security, that she took extreme measures to protect her from all the perceived nastiness in today’s world. First, she decided to home school the 10-year-old girl because of fear of abduction to and from school. Second, she installed computer-monitoring software to track and record every keystroke, every web site visited and every e-mail received and sent by the unaware and unassuming girl. Finally, and probably the most unfathomable, the parents inserted a RFID tag under the girl’s skin (shoulder region) so they can track the girl's whereabouts at any time of the day.
This definitely gives new meaning to the term, “helicopter parents.” As extreme as these fictitious mother’s acts may seem to some, they are happening in the real world, and are even infiltrating the business community in order to enhance, and hopefully ensure, secu- rity of data, property and people.
Nowadays, business owners can easily track, monitor and control an employee’s e-mail and Internet activities with software-based solutions that restrict or block any online des- tination deemed unnecessary to the task at hand. Furthermore, with the evolution and so- phistication of GPS technology, businesses can now keep a watchful eye on their fleet of cars, vans or trucks to ensure the drivers of those vehicles are where they are supposed to be at the time they are supposed to be. Some GPS solutions even trigger an alarm when a vehicle drives beyond a pre-determined geographical area or exceeds a certain speed. And we haven't even discussed the growing use of CCTV cameras in the workplace. These are just some of the ways corporate Big Brother is keeping a watchful eye on its employees. And who can blame them? With study after study showing cases of internal theft and fraud exceeding incidences of external threats, is it any wonder that corporations, regardless of industry or size, are taking precautions to protect themselves, their property and, most importantly, their bottom line.
Some employees believe there is no harm in checking their Facebook page during the day or logging on to YouTube to see the latest clip of a zebra fighting with a herd of lions or sending a thread of e-mails to their friends about the party they went to last weekend. And it doesn’t stop there. Some employees, and I have witnessed this first hand, think taking office supplies home from the workplace is not stealing. Just think about all of the money companies spend on office supplies that are probably unnecessary due to their daily pillaging by some narrow-minded staff members.
Keeping a watchful eye on employees is nothing new for businesses, but with corporate revenues and profit margins decreasing and more and more companies continuing to struggle to stay afloat, it only makes good business sense to keep one eye on the road ahead and another on the till.
Publisher/Editor Paul Grossinger
paul@securitymattersmag.com
Director, New Business Development Frank Shoniker
Director, Advertising Sales Paul Grossinger
Art Director Mark Tzerelshtein
markintoshdesign.com
Contributors Lynn Greiner Ian Harvey
Koreen Kimakowich Jack Kohane Brent MacLean Meaghan McCluskey Lance Naismith Theresa Rowsell Miyo Yamashita
Security Matters provides Canadian businesses with information that helps them secure their staff, assets, facilities and data. It is published six times a year by KAP Publishing Ltd.
The views expressed by the authors are not necessarily those of Security Matters. All editorial submissions are subject to editing. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the express written consent of KAP Publishing Ltd. The content of this publication is provided for the general guidance and benefit of our readers. While efforts are made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information at the time of publication, errors and omissions may occur.
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Security Matters Paul Grossinger
paul@securitymattersmag.com
1136 Centre Street, Suite 199 Thornhill, Ont. L4J 3M8 Canada Tel: 905-370-0736; Fax: 416-633-7084
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“IF THEY CAN’T SEE IT... THEY CAN’T STEAL IT!”
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4 SECURITY MATTERS • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010
“Instant Protection That Works”
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