T 0.22 Manipulation of Information

Information can be manipulated in various ways, e.g. by incorrect or intentionally false recording of data, any change to the contents of database fields or via correspondence. In principle, this concerns not only digital information, but for example documents in paper form also. A perpetrator can, however, only manipulate the information to which he has access. The more access rights to files and directories of IT systems a person has or the more possibilities to access information he has, the more significant manipulations he can carry out. If the manipulations are not detected early, the smooth progress of business processes and professional tasks can thus be seriously disrupted.

Archived documents usually contain sensitive information. The manipulation of such documents is particularly serious because, under certain circumstances, it may take years before the manipulation is noticed and verification will often no longer be possible.

Manipulation of information can be performed when being influenced by the desire for vengeance, to deliberately generate damage or to obtain personal advantages or enrichment, amongst other reasons.

Examples:

• An employee was so annoyed at the promotion of her roommate in the accounting department that during the short absence of her colleague, she illegally gained access to her computer. Here she has caused, by changing some figures in the monthly balance sheet, enormous negative impact on the published financial results of the company.