This simulation question is based upon a true set of facts. The information contained in the simulation question was obtained from publicly available sources.  Would there be an Increase in Commercial Information Theft during Corporate Downsizing? During corporate downsizing, laid-off or terminated employees increasingly steal proprietary or confidential company information, according to a 2009 survey study “Data Loss Risks During Downsizing” conducted by the Ponemon Institute, an Arizona based research company. Nearly sixty percent of departing employees steal proprietary or confidential company data. Employees took this information in different ways. Most employees take documents (paper) with the information. But employees also admitted that they downloaded information onto a disc or sent information as attachments to personal emails. Of the nearly sixty percent of the employees that took information, seventy nine percent admitted that they did so even though they knew that their former employer had forbidden them from taking the information. In addition, 206 10 Commercial Bribery and Commercial Information Theft the survey reports that approximately twenty five percent of the employees said that they were able to access data on a company's network even after they had been terminated or quit. Based on the survey results, it could be suggested that laid off or terminated employees stole this information because they believed that they were entitled to information that they had helped create. Also, it could be suggested that the information was taken to assist the employees locate a new position or improve their performance once they obtained a new position. Employees, who are preparing to leave an employer, should take note of this survey study. Employers frequently file suit against former employees for the theft of proprietary or confidential information. As employers become more educated about the risk presented by departing employees, more effort will be expended to prove an employee's theft of commercial information. Employers, on the other hand, also need to be vigilant. To the extent that information is readily accessible by former employees or if a company knows and does not prevent employees from taking information, a court may be reluctant to find that the information is confidential or proprietary. Required First, go to the Ponemon Institute website http://www.ponemon.org/index.php; select the “Research” tab then select the “Research Studies & White Papers” option and click the “Data Security” page. Next, scroll down the “Data Security” page till you reach the subtitle “Data Loss Risks During Downsizing, February 2009 (click to download study)” and click to download the PDF file “Data Loss Risks During Downsizing.” Read the entire “Data Loss Risks During Downsizing” report and summarize your understanding of the report by answering the following four issues in the report: 

1. Do laid-off or terminated employees steal proprietary or confidential company information? If so, how pervasive is this problem? Note: You must cite results/statistics from the report to support your answer and your answer must not exceed one page of typing using single-space and medium-font letters. 

2. If laid-off or terminated employees do steal proprietary or confidential company information, how do they justify their actions? Note: You must cite results/statistics from the report to support your answer and your answer must not exceed one page of typing using single-space and medium-font letters. 

3. What types of proprietary or confidential company information is most susceptible to commercial information theft by laid-off or terminated employees? Note: You must cite results/statistics from the report to support your answer and your answer must not exceed one page of typing using single-space and medium-font letters. 

4. What can organizations do to protect themselves from this commercial information theft by laid-off or terminated employees? Note: You should refer to textbook or search the Internet for your answer and your answer must not exceed one page of typing using single-space and medium font letters . 3-4 pages for question