Comments on: When Trust Breaks Down http://wordofpie.com/2008/03/24/when-trust-breaks-down/ Ponderings on Life, the Universe, and Information Tue, 15 May 2012 21:39:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Pie http://wordofpie.com/2008/03/24/when-trust-breaks-down/#comment-3026 Fri, 28 Mar 2008 14:58:13 +0000 http://wordofpie.wordpress.com/2008/03/24/when-trust-breaks-down/#comment-3026 The passports were flagged, along with several others. Here is a nice, non-partisan update revealing some celebs were hit as well.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7315813.stm

]]> By: Chris Campbell http://wordofpie.com/2008/03/24/when-trust-breaks-down/#comment-3019 Tue, 25 Mar 2008 17:53:13 +0000 http://wordofpie.wordpress.com/2008/03/24/when-trust-breaks-down/#comment-3019 This particular incident isn’t unusual when it comes to companies that manage any type of personal or sensitive material. Every Human Resource and Payroll department in every corporation in America has access to your SS # and your bank account for direct deposit. The billing department for any company that you’ve ever done personal business with has your credit card number and more than likely a record of exactly what you bought. Every police officer and county official has access to my driver’s license. Your personal information is out there, like it or not.

So trust is a big issue. I see auditing as an even bigger and important issue. There are people out there that would steal just about anything if they knew they could get away with it. Even little stuff, like office supplies or a ream of paper. If you *know* for a fact that you will be caught, it’s human nature to not risk it. No one likes being punished.

The beauty of auditing is that it allows you, the employer and keeper of information, to show trust in your employees by allowing them to do their job. You can’t completely lock down the passport database, otherwise all those airport workers wouldn’t be able to check those passports. Auditing does allow you to quickly follow up on who is checking information. It’s also very easy to flag any particularly sensitive information.

In the case of the Presidential canditates and their passports, I have no doubt their passports were flagged with extra audit trail information. (It’s standard procedure for any “viable” Presidental candidate.) If anything, the breakdown occurred when the employees violated company policy and looked at data when they had no business need to do so. Just like the medical personnel at UCLA Hospital who peeked at Britney’s medical records.

If the world at large doesn’t want their information leaked, peeked or prodded, they need to hold companies accountable to notify their employees of information policies and above all, taking definitive *action* when a violation occurs. You may not be able to undo the damage, but it goes a looooong way in preventing the next person who is a bit too curious.

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