Your small company produces and sells holsters for cell phones. During the past year, monthly inventory counts have shown about 100 holsters missing. Furthermore, a customer report gives you reason to believe that one of your employees, Jackson McKnight, might be stealing the missing holsters and selling them on eBay. Since the holsters are manufactured by a separate supplier (i.e., they are not custom holsters), you cannot know whether holsters being posted to eBay are from your company or from one of your competitors. However, because eBay’s selling etiquette requires that sellers respond promptly to customer questions, you think that McKnight may be accessing the account periodically from his work computer.
1. What considerations should you take into account when investigating McKnight’s work computer? What legal, strategic, and other concerns should you be aware of?
2. What software would you suggest to investigate whether any information might be available on McKnight’s work computer? What steps would you take with this software?
3. Do you think it would be possible to successfully approach eBay for information on this case? Why or why not?