The company is counting on the quality of its database and the thoroughness of the individual company reports it prepares in-house. A number of other companies are also aiming at building similar portals for business users seeking competitive intelligence. Still, the quality and depth of the information varies widely among the sites, which often take different approaches to gathering information. The growing interest in intelligence-gathering has also prompted a corresponding fascination with blocking access to information to prevent competitors from spying. Computer security continues to be a hot area for research and investment, and corporations are looking at ways to minimize and control the information getting out from behind their walls.
Some corporations scan outgoing e-mail for sensitive documents, while others monitor Web site use.
Still, loopholes can emerge where you least expect them. Often, people don't realize how much is leaving through forgotten doors, he says. Internet search engines like Google make it easy to find it faster than ever. If you search for 'secret' or 'proprietary,' you'll find real secret or proprietary documents. Getting such documents back can be impossible once they leave a company.