But I've already Got Security!

This is one of the great corporate myths - you securely distribute documents which anyone can then print and circulate to anyone - and yet you still think that they are secure. 

It does not matter how many 'bits' your encryption keys have, how many zillions you have spent on 'security', how many Ph.Ds (or piercings) your security experts have, firewalls, VPNs, your security system is as safe and trustworthy as the Titanic. And it doesn't matter how senior you are or how long you have gone without a major company sinking scandal - every year senior board members (and top IS staff) of fortune 500 companies lose everything and end their careers in disgrace.

Generally speaking 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.

DRM myths:

• "It won't happen to me. "

  • False - well - you may be lucky but senior IT staff and directors of several major companies are at home watching daytime TV because they saved on DRM

• "Anyone can just copy the contents of the screen with a pencil and paper."

  • False - a verbal  leak or copybook entry taken to a newspaper or rival will fall under the category of hearsay or gossip - They will not have the impact of an actual copy of the report printed off and stolen.

  • Naive - Often critical corporate documents will run to hundreds or thousands of pages and diagrams - enough to keep your 'defector' busy serrupticiously  sketching for weeks in front of the PC screen.

• "Anyone can just photograph the the PC screen."

  • False - Again critical corporate documents will run to hundreds or thousands of PC screens pages and diagrams - enough to keep your 'defector' busy snapping for weeks in front of the PC screen. 

  • Naive - To get good quality, readable representations of typical screens your 'defector' will need to set up a good quality camera in the office - probably on a tripod without anyone noticing. Again this transforms the type of misdemeanor from just hitting the print key and picking up some documents to crouching in the open plan office with a Nikon for hours on end. And of course the usage logs of your DRM system will show exactly who was responsible for the leaks even if they do use this method.

• "Companies have no right to such secret documents discussing internal policies, future plans etc."

  • This is quite a common view in some sectors - presumably amongst individuals who believe that individuals should have no right to private conversations and stealing other people's work is somehow revolutionary.

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BHR Content Protection Report 2005