Corporate Espionage

In HBR Nov 2005

The latest issue of HBR carries an article on Corporate Espionage. The moral of the story is simple: 'If you are dealing with something good enough, be sure you are being spied upon'

Some of the possibilities are really scary.

• The WiFi in your favorite business hotel is an easy channel for spies
• If you argue that you transfer official data through a highly encrypted VPN, there could be cameras on the ceiling tracking your keystrokes
• The shredder available in hotel rooms could actually have scanners, which scan your secret documents before shredding
• If you leave your laptop behind in your hotel room and go shopping, be sure your hard disk would be copied
• If you leave your cellphone unattended, someone could replace your battery with a special one that records your conversations and transfers them

Sure, this is paranoic. But the examples given are happening right now. But you could do the following things to be safe

• Never leave your laptop/cellphone unattended
• Try not to use the 'free' WiFi at your faborite hotel. If possible use it from an obscure public connection