Warning to management crooks - the net is closing in

Has your company been the victim of fraud? If you had to bet on who's the culprit, here's our advice - look internally, look upwards and look at the newest faces.

Research published today by Ernst & Young paints a picture of the typical fraudster as a company manager with - in 85 per cent of the largest offences - less than a year's service in their role.

While everyone may suspect the temp in the corner or the office junior, it turns out the higher ups are more likely to cause trouble. The argument goes that they have access to systems, have the trust of their colleagues and are less likely to be challenged. Don't doubt it.

Most dangerous of all, it seems, are those with several years experience at a company who get promoted to a managerial position. They know the ropes - and possibly have built up the grudges.

E&Y also noted that in addition to fraud for personal gain, in this age of Enronitis, there is plenty of wrongdoing for the sake of the organisation - inflating results and the like.

Where is this all heading? Well, for offenders, the message is that nets are closing in. True, in the connected world there is always more mischief to be had, but computer forensics is turning into a fine art.

Take stealing company information. Offenders always think there is a way to do it. Think again. Printing it up, burning it to a CD, saving to a floppy, zipping and emailing out, taking back up tapes - all leave trails and clues.

As Integralis, a security company that investigates fraud, last year told silicon.com, the advances in computer forensics have been spurred on by law enforcement agencies losing court cases.

Police aren't happy, companies are never happy with being ripped off and no employees want a boss who goes even further than taking credit for their work.