You check your e-mail program and it reports your username and password as no longer valid. You call your Internet service provider (ISP) to discuss problem and they tell you they turned off your account due to "abuse". "Abuse!" you cry to customer service operator, "What are you talking about?"

"Someone used your computer this past Saturday night in an attempt to hack into a government computer system. They made attempt at 1:20 a.m. from your account," replies rep. "Look in your windows registry for a file called QAZWSX.hsq."

You punch a few keys and sure enough file stares right back at you. "What is it?" you ask, scared to know answer.

"Someone used a Trojan Horse virus to remotely control your computer and cloak identity of hacker. Here's how to get rid of it, just..."

What you just read happened very recently to someone I know quite well. A computer hacker found an open port on his computer when he switched over from a dial-up Internet connection to an "always-on" high-speed connection.

The hacker used a robot scanning Internet for available "ports", openings in a computer that allow data to pass back and forth from a network connection like Internet. Once hacker found an unprotected port on my friend's computer he simply inserted a Trojan Horse virus that rides along with Windows Notepad, a handy utility used by just about everyone who makes web pages.

When my friend activated notepad program he also activated virus. The virus in turn transmitted all of my friend's security information to hacker and allowed him to gain access and control his victim's computer in middle of night.

The threat of violence whether it emanates from a disgruntled employee or threat of terrorism require both a concerted and an individual response. Terrorism in any form is terrorism. Having been exposed to daily taunts, acts of intimidation, verbal threats of bodily harm are as debilitating psychologically as blunt strike or piercing bullet. Vigilance and security awareness makes for a good prescription. In previous writings, I've attempted to draw a correlation between disgruntled employee and terrorist from within by suggesting similar patterns of behavior, traits and characteristics coupled with freedom of access and possession of company’s secrets. My observations clearly implied a volatile ingredient worthy of skeptical assessment.

Following a recent article written by Louis Rovner, Ph.D, entitled “Protecting Your Company from Terrorism Within”, I grew more concerned. So,I interviewed him regarding article. Dr. Rovner is a psychologist in LA who consults to businesses, government agencies and law enforcement agencies, one of a handful of polygraph – psychologist nationwide. He believes that potential for disaster is at every employer’s doorstep and I agree with assessment. He said, “Thousands of Terrorist call United States home…hundreds of terrorist sleeper cells scattered throughout U.S. awaiting orders and instructions need to assimilate in order to survive”. What do they do? The thrust of this edition is a testimonial to existing synergy between Dr. Rovner and I on topic of workplace security as a legitimate discussion. I believe solution to minimization of any potential exposure is an aggressive but practical security plan which addresses workplace security issues in greater detail incorporating training and security awareness.

Now I would like to draw that necessary correlation between seamless similarities existing between “event driven” explosive conduct of “disgruntled employee” and “the Terrorist from within”. In an investigation I conducted several years ago an otherwise hard working employee with a diagnosed personality disorder was reassigned from his regular duties due to a medical determination. It was to have been a temporary change. However, during ensuing assignment he was exposed to constant abusive taunting and harassment by co-workers. In response he began retaliating in his own way, initially innocuously and eventually more aggressively. The verbal threats directed at co-workers and supervisors escalated to more hostile conduct. It was clear he was sending a message of his displeasure. While left alone at office computer terminal he began browsing Internet for bomb making sites. He had been engaged in this clandestine operation for several days before a sharp supervisor noticed his strange behavior at terminal. In an effort to protect evidence, he used a ruse to get employee away from terminal until my arrival. The subsequent interview of employee disclosed a pattern of hostile retaliatory conduct in response to a lack of confidence in management and his co-workers to protect him from abuse. His aggression escalated from verbal to near physical as he sought ways to avenge his tormentors.

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