Copyright material found on networkComputer Forensics |
Background:
The management of a large non-profit organisation received a complaint from the Motion Picture Industry Association of America (MPIAA) that copies of a big-budget movie, not even yet released, were being distributed from their network. MPIAA threatened legal action if the material was not immediately removed.
Concern:
The organisation feared highly damaging legal action, but did not even know where to begin to find the movie files.
Deloitte’s Actions:
• Deloitte scanned wide areas of the network with specialised software to detect movie-type files. The sweep concentrated on area where it was believed by the client that the copyright files might most likely be.
• Movie files were found on a number of computers, including a number of servers and a workstation computer. It was not immediately clear who specifically was responsible but the location of the files made it likely that the culprit was a member of the IT staff.
• The servers and workstation computers were traced on the network at night and without the knowledge of the organisation's IT staff for fear of tipping off the culprit.
• Forensic copies of the servers and the workstation computer were acquired, again without the knowledge of the IT staff.
Deloitte’s Findings:
• A senior IT manager in the organisation was found to be using his privileges to run a movie copying and distribution “factory” from the network.
• The manager was found to be using a number of computers throughout the network to store vast quantities of copyright protected material.
• The same individual was found to be maintaining an extensive suite of copying, 'ripping' and editing software on his computer to convert copyright material to other less data intensive formats.
Results:
• The threat of legal action by MPIAA was averted.
• Deloitte supported the organisation throughout an extensive disciplinary process, which eventually lead to the manager’s resignation.
Comments:
Illegal IP stored on corporate computers is becoming an increasing threat for Irish companies. Users should be discouraged from managing their portable music players on their office computers as to do so can result in large amounts of copyright material being stored illegally. An additional problem is that most music players can store a lot more than media files. Theft of corporate data using media players (a practice known as 'podding') is a growing problem.
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