New Tool to Protect Businesses against File Sharing

Isis Forensics, a company founded by Danny Hughes and James Walkerdine of Lancaster University’s computing department, has come up with a tool in support of the businesses’ attempt to crack down on illegal file sharing. The project followed a study which revealed that over a third of FTSE 100 companies and more than half of Fortune 100 companies were involved in p2p activities sharing the usual copyrighted files such as music, movies and applications.

By developing these P2P file sharing monitoring methods Isis Forensics sets the goal of discreetly monitoring the illegal sharing of content within organisations worldwide and notify them in case such online piracy acts occur.

Recent examples of security breaches caused by such p2p file sharing activities seemed to be the main focus of James Walkerdine of Isis Forensics when talking about the imperative of this monitoring: 'The risks of illegal file sharing are huge. There have been examples of file sharing software bypassing a company’s network security. This has led to virus infiltration making company computers open to attack.
'There have also been documented cases of employees accidentally sharing sensitive information - this is particularly worrying for an organisation that is responsible for financial or personal information relating to clients.'

Walkerdine continued: 'Isis Forensics can monitor file sharing activity to ensure it is safe without interfering with day-to-day business. Ultimately we can help companies to stop illegal file sharing before it becomes a problem and they are faced with the consequences.'

Isis Forensics is already engaged in collaborations with many major international organisations and has offered its services to public institutions in several countries.