Businesses considering laying off staff should first take precautions to ensure they do not leave with sensitive company information.
According to a survey by IT security firm Cyber-Ark, 60% of office workers would attempt to take valuable data with them if they were facing redundancy and 40% are already downloading such information as a precaution.
Four in 10 of those polled said they would use the data as a negotiating tool to secure their next position as it would be of use to future employers.
The most attractive information to steal is the customer and contact databases, with business plans and proposals, product information and access/password codes also proving popular. Bottom of the list were HR records and legal documents.
The most common means of downloading huge amounts of data is by using memory sticks but other methods included photocopying, emailing, CDs, online encrypted storage websites, smartphones, DVDs, cameras, SKYPE and iPods.
"The damage that insiders can do should not be underestimated," says Adam Bosnian, VP of products, strategy and sales at Cyber-Ark. "It can take just a few minutes for an entire database that has taken years to build to be copied to a CD or USB stick.
"With a faltering economy resulting in increased jobs cuts, deferred promotions and additional stress, companies need to be especially vigilant about protecting their most sensitive data against nervous or disgruntled employees," he added.
"Our advice is only allow access to sensitive information to those that really need it, lock it away in a digital vault and encrypt the really sensitive data."
The research also revealed that the threat of redundancy would prompt 47% of workers to attempt to access the redundancy list through the company IT system. Half of those polled said they would attempt to do so using their own IT access rights and would also consider bribing someone in the IT or HR department for such information.
