The Internet has increased companies' exposure to computer break-ins simply because more and more people have access to the Internet. By 2000, as many as 250 million people will have Internet access worldwide, according to study researchers. Industry experts say the first step in fighting this war should be to examine threats from inside the company. Security breaches that are committed by employees can be extremely damaging. For example, in July 1996, one of the most expensive computer sabotage cases was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service.
Logic bombs are programs that have the ability to delete files or reformat hard drives.
A policy should clearly define the characteristics of what constitutes a breach in security, says M.E. Kabay, Ph.D., director of education at International Computer Security Association. Only the people who need to should have access to privileged information in a computer network. These people should be identified in the policy. Possession of secured information by an unauthorized individual would be a breach regardless of whether or not the individual read the material. The mere fact of wrongful possession would violate the policy.