How much should you spend on a Digital Rights Management (DRM) based Content and Document Security System?

"Today - anyone with access to your most confidential information can print a copy and post it to  . . . your rivals . . . the press  . . . or take it home to improve their salary position for their next job" 

Is your data worth protecting with a corporate DRM system?

Well this depends. If your whole IP (Intellectual Property) and customer list is worth just a few hundred or thousand dollars it can be a difficult decision. Generally speaking though if you are larger than a small family business - if your IP is worth more than a few million and you have more than a handful of lifelong employees - then the answer is YES. 

Since these risks are inside your company your firewall, your encryption strength and your conventional security are irrelevant. If an intern or sales junior can print out your client list or a manager can print out all the best sales leads before leaving to your rivals then the answer is YES unless your client list and repeat trade is almost worthless or your staff never leave and go to other companies - ever.

Whether your data will be 'stolen' will depend on a number of factors such as corporate culture, possible markets, IP value. Corporate culture will determine to risk of companies with lower staff turnover and higher loyalty e.g. 

• Are staff secure enough where they are. Do they feel that their future career development and prospects are fully ensured until retirement - with no-redundancies or staff layoffs at any time - and a good pension afterwards?

• Is the IP that they might take transferable in the sense that 

  • if - for example - your best sales person (or your second best!) took your customer list to your biggest rival would that hurt your company?

  • Has there ever been any message or report that has ever circulated that could benefit a rival or damage your company in any way?

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BHR Content Protection Report 2005