Intellectual property is a term that covers a wide swathe of items. Some items which are deemed to be forms of intellectual property include trademarks, copyrights, patent, industrial design rights, trade secrets, and even employee knowledge. In general, it includes any form of non-material proprietary items. Intellectual property is truly critical to the success of any organization.
However, since intellectual property is so important, many unethical figures attempt to steal it. For this reason, businesses and their owners need to do everything they can to ward off potential theft of intellectual property. This way, they can keep their business protected and spare it from the harm that comes with intellectual property theft. There are several ways by which such property can be protected.
Knowing the “What” and “Where”
One important point to note is that you should always know what intellectual property you have as well as where it is being stored. If you, your employees, and your colleagues know what must be protected, you’ll better understand how and from whom to do so. Communication is critical – all people involved must keep lines of communication with key executives open and flexible at all times.
It’s also important to know where intellectual property is being stored. It isn’t just found in core IT systems – objects such as scanners, printers, cloud applications, fax machines, third-party systems, and even personal devices may contain intellectual property. Thus, total vigilance is required to ensure the thorough protection of intellectual property.
Using Data Protection Software
Certain types of software can be used to protect crucial data. Data protection software is not to be confused with antivirus software. Antivirus software merely provides basic protection against common malware. Data protection software, on the other hand, resides on the kernel level of endpoints and provides complete information about the access and transmission of all data.
When selecting data protection software, there are several points to be considered. Such software must be able to guard structured and unstructured data alike. This software must also place proper enforcement policies on the data to prevent it from leaving safe hands. The use of data protection software is therefore one way to ensure that your intellectual property rights are properly protected.
————-
Extending Intellectual Property Rights Abroad
Sometimes, the best way to protect your intellectual property is by obtaining protection internationally as well as domestically. Most countries are part of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The WIPO facilitates the extension of domestic international property rights to other countries and territories.
By using methods such as the Patent Cooperation Treaty or Madrid System and fulfilling specific requirements, intellectual property rights can easily be protected no matter where your business operates. Financial considerations, industrial field, and market relevance must also be considered when extending these rights abroad.
Policy Adherence
Everyone with whom you work, whether internally or externally, must strictly adhere to intellectual property policies. No business can be completely protected from insiders who violate policies. Thus, your organization needs to do all it can to ensure the full enforcement of security policies.
You might consider implementing particular mechanisms which monitor user behaviour. It might also be wise to track unnecessary or unauthorized access attempts. These methods allow IT experts to be able to take action in the event of any suspicious activity.
Intellectual property is a vital asset for any business. Thus, every business owner needs to keep this property secure by any means necessary. No measure is too extreme when it comes to shielding these most valuable of items.
You may seek for Exy Intellectual Property to redeem your exclusive consultation session. Protect your business by registering trademark today.
This article is brought to you by Exy Intellectual Property (Malaysia)