Private eyes go through bins to vet new IT staff
- Posted:
- 17:05 23 May 2002
- Topics:
- IT Workforce
A Computer Weekly investigation has revealed that a number of legally dubious methods of vetting IT professionals are being offered by specialist investigation agencies.
These techniques include secretly going through the bins of prospective employees to profile their character and checking whether or not they have a criminal record, without their consent.
When contacted by Computer Weekly in a covert investigation, two UK detective agencies said they would search through the bins of a prospective IT employee - in this case an IT security manager suspected of being a former hacker. One of the agencies said it had experience in vetting IT professionals this way.
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Although dumpster diving is a legal grey area, the information commissioner said that, depending on the circumstances, it would usually breach the Data Protection Act 1998, which applies to personal information. In effect, it would constitute theft.
One London-based investigation agency said it would go through the rubbish of the suspected IT professional for £30 an hour. "It is an illegal activity, but I am not saying we would not do it," said the agency. "We have done it with some very high-profile cases."
However, the agency added that dumpster diving may be of limited use in pinpointing a potential hacker because the target may be careful about what paper records they throw away.
In order to cover up the controversial nature of the service, the agency said that it would refer to the dumpster diving as a "professional service" in its invoice. "It is for everyone's protection. Basically you have to be very careful these days," it explained.
The agency also boasted that it would be prepared to break the law and carry out a covert check to see if the employee had a criminal record, at a cost of £300. The agency did not reveal how it would do this check but admitted that it was through illegal methods.
Although companies can request that a prospective employee undergoes a criminal record check, it is only compulsory for certain kinds of job, such as caring for children. But even then the individual, and not the employer, has to apply for the check through the recently formed Criminal Records Bureau.
Computer Weekly spoke to another agency, based in Essex, which also said it would carry out dumpster diving as part of an investigation into a prospective employee. It added that it had vetted IT professionals for clients in the past.
