Case Study: Intel Implements People As The New Perimeter To Mitigate Social Computing Risks

Intel, a large global technology provider, has more than 86,000 employees worldwide. It's only natural that, working for a technology provider, Intel's employees are generally ahead of the curve in adopting new technologies such as social media and Web 2.0. But for Intel's chief information security officer (CISO), Malcolm Harkins, this tech-savvy user base introduces a new challenge: mitigate the risks while still empowering users to embrace and experiment with Social Computing. To mitigate these risks, Harkins did three things: 1) built a research team to investigate threats and determine the business impact to Intel; 2) empowered people as the first line of defense by keeping them constantly aware of threats; and 3) layered on top process and technology controls to help secure its social platform architecture. As a result, Intel has increased employee satisfaction and productivity while improving the company's top line.