Starbucks: Office Espionage Part 7
This post is part of a 10 piece segment of a series which polishes and updates some of the more popular security posts I’ve written.
If you want to find out what your biggest competition is up to just drop into the coffee shop next door.
There are three major ways in which information can be compromised at Starbucks and the amount if data you can mine depends completely on how scrupulous you are. The same is true for your own secure information.
- Show up and have a cup. You would be shock how much information you will overhear in the coffee shop. It is a virtual salad bar of information. Any time staff members congregate the tendency is to discuss work. Unfortunately being in the company of colleagues gives us a false sense of security and we have a habit of discussing things that should be restricted to the office.
- Surfs up. Favored watering holes of staff members typically have wireless capability. And who among us hasn’t taken our laptop along for a working break? Free wireless access typically has just about as much security as you pay for. None.
- Pick up lines. Just the other day I stopped into a Starbucks and I recognized a friend who had stopped between locations to get an information fix. He popped open his lap top, hit the Internet, sync’d his pda and flipped open his cell phone. I caught his attention at the counter and said, “Dude, Hoover dam called. They had to change the power grid because of you.” He smiled and came up to the counter to say hello. Leaving all his tech on the table.
It was a crowded shop. Anyone who wanted to steal his data could have casually picked up any of his equipment and strolled right out the door.
Other leaking pipelines.
- Office Lunch Room
- Office Break Room
- Office Elevator
- Trade Seminars (any off site meeting place)
- News Stand
I know I haven’t exhausted all possibilities. What security leaks can you add to the list?
Describing A Spy
http://elementaltruths.com/?p=415
Office Traitors
http://elementaltruths.com/?p=414
Business Brain Cramps
http://elementaltruths.com/?p=413
Starbucks Espionage
http://elementaltruths.com/?p=412
Recording Devices
http://elementaltruths.com/?p=411
Cell and Cordless Phones
http://elementaltruths.com/?p=410
Hacking Passwords
http://elementaltruths.com/?p=409
Pop-In Spooking
http://elementaltruths.com/?p=407
Office Espionage
http://elementaltruths.com/?p=408
Waste Archeology
http://elementaltruths.com/?p=406
Security Overview