Protecting Corporate Assets
The goal of corporate security is to protect the organization's assets. When most people think about assets, they naturally think of possessions of the physical realm. These possessions may include real estate, facilities, manufacturing equipment, automobiles, desks, computers, chairs, tools, and more. These tangible assets are used to accomplish the daily operations of the organization, and leveraged to finance new projects. They are measurable in terms of value and directly affect the bottom line of an organization. For the sake of this book, these assets are referred to simply as physical assets.
Perhaps even more valuable than physical assets are the ideas and data that help keep organizations competitive and efficient. These ideas can include new designs from engineering, proprietary production methods and procedures, sensitive company financial data, customer contact information, and employee records. Any piece of information that is beneficial to the organization is an asset. Likewise, any sensitive data that would cause damage to the organization if seen by outside entities should be considered as assets worthy of protection. For the sake of this book, these assets are referred to simply as informational assets.
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From Asset Protection through Security Awareness by Tyler Justin Speed. New York: Auerbach Publications, 2012.
