The Reason Why Employee Monitoring Software is Making a Comeback

Employee monitoring software is by no means new and it has existed for some time. In the past however its popularity was often held back due to concerns that it was too intrusive to privacy.


Recently however the usage of employee monitoring software has started to rise significantly among small and large companies alike. Its comeback is due to one reason above and beyond any other: Data protection.


“What Changed?”

Over the last few years it has been increasingly evident just how vulnerable companies are to data breaches and theft. While in some cases the perpetrators are outsiders, in many insiders are either directly involved or their actions play a significant part.


Several high profile cases have illustrated just how vulnerable even large organizations are, and the damage that can be caused. In one case two Apple employees are being charged after they stole intellectual property from the company that was related to its autonomous car project.


Other breaches have involved customer data as opposed to intellectual property. The amount of private customer information collected by companies has risen significantly, and it is frequently targeted due to its high value.


As the threat to that data has become more and more apparent, regulations have started to be put in place. One of the more prominent is the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) by the European Union (EU) that is designed to give its citizens more control over their personal data and assure it is protected.


In fact regulations like Europe’s GDPR outline the manner in which employee monitoring can be used – and recognize its role in helping protect data. By setting a precedent, it has made employee monitoring software more mainstream than it was in the past.


How Employee Monitoring Software Protects Data

Modern employee monitoring software is seen as the perfect tool to help protect data from inside threats. The capabilities of software such as WorkExaminer demonstrate that and can be used to protect data on multiple fronts.


The main thrust of the way in which WorkExaminer is used to protect data is by identifying potential data breaches. It can track the way that employees access potentially sensitive data, identify suspicious websites that are visited, monitor email and IM communication and more.


With the data that WorkExaminer collects companies will be able to pinpoint behavior that may be suspicious early on so that the appropriate action can be taken before a data breach occurs.


On top of that WorkExaminer can directly prevent data theft by monitoring data that is copied to removable media or transferred over the internet. That will plug the most common way in which data is stolen or accidentally distributed.


Unlike early versions of employee monitoring software, WorkExaminer’s features are robust, but also customizable. The level and depth of monitoring can be tailored based on the needs of the company as well as in compliance with any privacy or data protection regulations.


Conclusion

All in all the reason why employee monitoring software such as WorkExaminer is making a comeback is because the need for it has become more evident. The financial and reputation cost of data breaches that involve intellectual property or personal data is significant, and any measures that can be taken to prevent it must be looked at.


Right now employee monitoring software is one of the best ways to protect data from insider threats.