fbpx

Overt/ Covert Investigations

Viewing posts tagged Overt/ Covert Investigations

25 Jan 2020

Risk Management: Competitor Espionage

By Arthur Elliott

Background

A manufacturer of automotive components who had a dominate position in the market was concerned about loss of corporate assets to local competitors. The task was to review and assess company internal prevention processes & procedures, identify areas of weakness and to develop improvements to company security and asset protection programs.

Approach

Step 1: Definition of 4 core areas of investigation
  • Physical Security – offices, factories, physical access control, guard force effectiveness, etc.
  • HR Issues – clear expectations, recruiting due diligence, proper access control, leadership/”tone at the top”
  • IT Systems, laptops, and mobile devices
  • Security policies and procedures, control & monitoring
Step 2: Conducted a 2 month audit of internal processes & procedures
Step 3: Recommendations for corrective action with a particular focus upon Physical Security and Control & Monitoring
Step 4: Implementation of numerous corrective programs including
  • CCTV, IT server access control, intrusion detection, firewall and anti-spyware, vetting of vendors, visitor security, access control, data storage & disposal procedures

Results

  • No new acts of corporate espionage or theft
25 Jan 2020

Risk Management: Investigation and Correction of Employee Trade Secrets Theft

By Arthur Elliott

Background

  • A manufacturer of specialty chemicals had lost 70% of company customer base due to TS theft
  • The previous Operations Director in China had removed electronic drawings and other IP over a 2-year period, set up a competing company and bribed the purchasing managers to move their purchases to his new company.
  • EWA was engaged to investigate the claim and develop counter-actions

Approach

Step 1: Risk Identification
  • Investigation and confirmation of the existence of the new company and the individual’s equity ownership
  • EWA obtained product samples and verified a trademark violation
Step 2: Risk Mitigation
  • Recruitment of local Chinese attorneys and the filing of a legal claim against both the company and the individual
  • The competitive office, workforce, sub-contractors and customer base visitors were investigated
  • EWA contacted the client’s original customer base to inform them of the various illegal actions and acts of corporate espionage
  • Legal proceedings cannot be disclosed due to confidentiality restrictions
Step 3: Long-Term Risk Prevention
  • Development of a comprehensive asset protection program

Results

  • 75% of the lost customer base returned to the client within 7 months
  • No new acts of corporate espionage or theft