5 Free Ways to Track Online Leaks of Information

As you know, there is a wide range of threats online -- malware, bots, phishing scams and more. While your security and IT department implement firewalls and virus protection programs to combat these threats, many companies are missing the most damaging threat to their business online: Intellectual Property posted online by their own employees, whether with or without malicious intent.

By Brandon Gregg
Mon, June 01, 2009

CSO — As you know, there is a wide range of threats online -- malware, bots, phishing scams and more. While your security and IT department implement firewalls and virus protection programs to combat these threats, many companies are missing the most damaging threat to their business online: Intellectual Property posted online by their own employees, whether with or without malicious intent.

Unfortunately a lot of companies are stumbling across their own IP online by accident and well after it is too late. A best-case scenario for undoing the damage is that the data is quickly removed by the website and is never seen again. In the worst-case scenario, the information becomes a viral video on YouTube.

Although new brand protection companies like IPSec and Brand Protect have popped up and grown to fill a much-needed market, the following tools offer free and easy-to-customize Internet monitoring features that allow you to be seconds behind information leaks.

Monitter.com

Combine the word Monitor with the social networking tool Twitter and you have Monitter.com. This simple-to-use website allows you to customize Twitter searches by keyword and location and save your searches as RSS feeds to have the data emailed or texted to you instantly. Start off slow with searches for your company name or a new product and monitor twitter for threats, disgruntle employees and internal leaks. You will be amazed to see how many employees actually post on Twitter about their own company or their boss. (See also Despite Threats, Companies Lag on Web 2.0 Security)

Limewire

As many of you know, Limewire is one of the most popular peer-2-peer file sharing programs on the internet. However, its poor design (which Congress is actually demanding they change) opens the world up to any documents, photos or files on your computer. During a quick install of the program, most users overlook the details and approve the program to share the entire contents of their My Documents folder. Most recently President Obama's new military helicopter designs for Marine One were tracked to Iranian computers after a defense contractor installed Limewire on his personal computer and shared his top-secret company documents to the world.

Simply download and install this program on your computer (make sure to disable all file sharing) and routinely search for your company's name. Documents with "Acme" in the metadata or title will flag and you can actually see the user's IP address and download the file.

Addictomatic.com

While some search tools overlap with data and can lead to information overload, addictomatic.com provides a quick and easy way to search for your company or keywords across a wide selection of sites including news, blogs, YouTube, and even popular photosharing site flickr. Countless unapproved videos and photos by employees can quickly be discovered.

1 2 next page »

You are here: Technology Topics » Security » Advice & Opinion

Most Recent Security Stories

White Papers »

Overcome Top 7 Admin Challenges of Active Directory

As Active Directory's role in the enterprise has drastically increased, so has the need to secure the data. Gain insight on creating repeatable, enforceable processes that reduces administrative overhead and enables robust, customizable reporting and auditing capabilities. Brought to you by NetIQ.

Top Solutions and Tools to Prevent Devastating Malware

Custom malware frequently goes undetected. According to Forrester Research, the best way to reduce risk of breach is to deploy file integrity monitoring (FIM) tools that provide immediate alerts. This white paper has been brought to you by NetIQ, the leader in solving complex IT challenges.

Insiders Can Ruin Your Company. Take Action.

Did you know that 80 percent of threats to an organization come from the inside? The threat from insiders is often overlooked in organizations worldwide. This white paper from NetIQ, discusses key technology solutions that help to prevent and detect insider threats.

X-Ray of the PCI Process-4 Proactive Steps

This white paper from Forrester Research Inc., helps break PCI into understandable components. Security and risk professionals will gain knowledge and insight into creating a compliant and secure IT environment. Follow these four proactive steps now before your next audit. Brought to you by NetIQ.

Streamline Compliance and Increase ROI

Streamline, simplify, and automate compliance related activities; especially those that impact multiple business units. This white paper from NetIQ, outlines solutions that will help your business gain the maximum return on investment possible while aligning your compliance programs.

Identity Governance: The Business Imperatives

This white paper describes the business challenges and opportunities that are driving interest in Identity Governance while discussing considerations your organization should make to help achieve project success.

Webcasts »

Gartner Next Generation Network IPS Webcast

Learn how Gartner's criteria for next generation IPS helps organizations achieve effective threat prevention despite changes in network communications, new applications, and changes in the threat landscape.

McAfee Continuous Compliance

3 minute Flash video - overview of the need for and value of Configuration Control.

Taming the Wild West: How to build a strong cloud security strategy

Cloud deployments are playing a critical role in propelling innovation for many companies. At the same time security has become the #1 one of the top concerns for IT and business leaders as they migrate into the cloud. In this webinar, learn from Accenture discusses how to recast the cloud as a "fresh chance to rethink your approach to security."

Virtualization Success is a Team Effort

As greater numbers of datacenter servers transition from the physical to the virtual world, the components of virtualization success come to the fore. What scores of organizations have discovered is that success is derived from an optimal pairing of the right software platform with the right hardware platform.

Customer Spotlight: How IPC The Hospitalist Company Implemented Oracle on VMware

Have you been looking to hear about customer's experiences with the new VMware vCenter Site Recovery Manager product? View this webcast to learn about VMware customer, Navicure, and their experiences testing and evaluating the recovery manager, their progress in implementing it in their environment and their advice other customers considering using vCenter.

Quantifying the Business Value of VMware View - Webcast

Many enterprises have discovered that the use of virtualization to support desktop workloads creates a range of significant benefits. These benefits include price efficiencies, improved IT management and greater agility and choice for end users.

This VMware sponsored webcast with IDC will provide both quantitative measurement of the business value -- defined as the expected ROI -- and qualitative analysis associated with the use of VMware View™. IDC will also provide an analysis of the View Composer and ThinApp™ features of VMware View, including the business value of these solutions and an overview of how they work.

Attend this webcast to learn about:
- Challenges and barriers that might impede the adoption of desktop virtualization
- Navigating roadblocks to facilitate a strategic implementation
- Optimizing qualitative and quantitative benefits to IT and your business

Newsletter Sign-Up »

Receive the latest news test, reviews and trends on your favorite technology topics

Choose a newsletter