Rules for romance

As companies set up more and closer alliances with vendors, an intellectualproperty-protection system becomes critical. Certain types of companies are especially prone to theft: high-tech firms, those on a hiring binge, and corporations giving suppliers unrestricted access to computer systems, even inviting them to set up operations inside their own plants (see "Bonds of Trust," IW, Mar. 17, 1997, Page 52).

Most vendors deserve to be trusted. Information-security systems help to prevent problems when management, the business climate, or a supplier's employees change for the worse. "When companies transfer technology, they should keep in mind that today's contractor could be tomorrow's bidder against them," warns Richard Heffernan, whose Branford, Conn.-based company, R.J. Heffernan & Associates Inc., specializes in counter-espionage and protection of intellectual property.

Following are four rules that security experts suggest corporations follow to protect themselves against problematic partners:

1. Make sure you're ready to begin dating. Perform an intellectual-property audit...