Employee data breach: Legal consequences for using business e-mails

Source: The Straits Times
Published on: 2026-06-13 21:05

SINGAPORE - Forwarding sensitive business data to your personal e-mail account is a no-no and can land you in big trouble, especially if you have plans to leave your company. This was what a senior employee who resigned to join a competitor found out when her former employer successfully sued her for various misdeeds, including conspiring to divert business away from her company while she was still an employee, and for acting against its interests. People in the habit of forwarding work-related e-mails to their own accounts for various reasons may not be aware that most companies have clear policies that prohibit such conduct. Doing this may not land you on the chopping block immediately but such misdeeds can be detected if your employer conducts a check. Such evidence usually provides good grounds to sue employees who leave to join competitors, especially when the forwarded e-mails ...

(Please login to view full article)

Third-Party Content Disclaimer

Content displayed on this platform may include news articles, reports, and other materials aggregated from publicly available third-party sources through automated tools. Such content is not created, written, commissioned, or edited by Straits Interactive Pte Ltd or the Data Protection Excellence (DPEX) Network.

While we take reasonable steps to ensure responsible publication, we do not independently verify all third-party information and make no representations as to its accuracy, completeness, or reliability.

The views, findings, and statements expressed in third-party content belong solely to the original source and do not reflect the views of Straits Interactive Pte Ltd or the DPEX Network.

If you believe any content is inaccurate, infringing, or should be removed, please contact us at legal@straitsinteractive.com. We will review the matter and, where appropriate, take action in accordance with our internal policies.

Unlock these benefits
globe

Get access to news, enforcement cases, events, and actionable tips and guides

email

Get regular email updates and offers

job

Job opportunities, mentorship and career guidance

discuss

Exclusive access to Data Protection community - ask questions, network and share knowledge with peers and experts via WhatsApp and Linkedin