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Case Studies
The Invisible stealing hand
Sean was a junior computer operator of a leading bank. He noticed that the bank’s computer system only provided clients with a documentary record of the amount of interest they earned on their deposits to two decimal places. Applying his computer knowhow, he was able to transfer the “non-recorded” interest from 20 inactive accounts and in the process steal more than half a million Hong Kong dollars from the bank for his personal use. The bank’s management was left in the dark for years, while Sean indulged in his greed. He was reluctant to take any leave for fear that his “secret transactions” would be detected by colleagues when he was not in the office. One day, Sean suddenly fell ill and had to take urgent sick leave. His stand-in, Peter, another junior computer operator, discovered the theft when he took over Sean’s work.
Case Analysis
Things can go wrong when technology is left in the wrong hands and management does not keep a watchful eye on its use. Blindly trusting the system without regulating and controlling it is a recipe for disaster. Good judgement plus positive interaction with technical staff is the key to addressing the risk factors created by adoption of new technologies. Managers have to instill a high level of ethical standards among staff to ensure that all procedures are followed and that all regulations are complied with. This is especially important in vulnerable areas such as the handling of valuable information and the procurement of supplies and services.