A study released by Ponemon Institute LLC on February 23, 2009 confirms a human resources truism: departing employees frequently steal company data while heading out the door. According to the study (a copy of which can be obtained at http://www.vontu.com/downloads/ponemon_09.asp), 59% of departing employees admit that they stole company data; 92% of departing employees admit that they took CDs/DVDs; and 73% admit taking USB memory sticks.
The study contains a wealth of other interesting statistics about employee data thefts.
While none of the study’s findings should be a surprise to those who regularly address these issues, it is interesting to see a study which quantifies the scope of the problem.