G 0.22 Manipulation of Information

Information can be manipulated in various ways, e.g., through erroneous or intentionally false data entry, content changes in database fields or correspondence. In principle, this does not only affect digital information, but also documents in paper form, for example. However, attackers can only manipulate the information they have access to. The more access rights a person has to files and directories of IT systems or the more access possibilities they have to information, the more serious the manipulations they can carry out. If the manipulations are not detected early, the smooth operation of business processes and professional tasks can be significantly disrupted.

Archived documents usually represent sensitive information. The manipulation of such documents is particularly serious because it may not be noticed for years and verification is often no longer possible.

Example:

• An employee was so upset about the promotion of her roommate in accounting that she gained unauthorized access to her colleague’s computer during a brief absence. By making some number changes in the monthly balance sheet, she exerted enormous negative influence on the published annual result of the company.