1. Regularly advise employees of the need for confidentiality, its economic importance, and the procedures required to ensure it.
2. Label all confidential documents with restrictive legends.
3. Require research notebooks to be locked and other trade secret documents to be kept in isolated and locked environments.
4. Secure physical access to the workplace with fences, alarm systems, and security guards as appropriate.
5. Require identification badges or a sign-in procedure.
6. Segregate areas of the workplace which involve work with trade secrets.
7. Allow employee access to trade secrets only on a need-to-know basis, and never disclose more information than needed when trade secrets must be shared.
8. Restrict access to and observation of trade secrets during workplace tours; require visitors to sign in and execute confidentiality agreements if they may be exposed to confidential information.
9. Maintain a log of who has accessed trade secret information, when, and for how long.
10. Implement a comprehensive scheme of computer security protection.
11. Require passwords to computer systems containing confidential information.
12. Restrict repair persons access to proprietary computer programs and other trade secrets, requiring confidentiality agreements if exposure is possible.
13. Restrict outside use of proprietary diagnostic computer program repair tools.
14. Require invention rights agreements with employees .
15. Conduct entrance interviews to advise new employees of confidentiality obligations and procedures.
16. Conduct exit interviews to review continuing employee confidentiality obligations.
17. Require written confidentiality agreements of employees, purchasers, consultants, distributors, suppliers, manufacturers, licensees, franchisees, contractors, and all others in positions of access to trade secrets and confidential information.
18. Require reasonable employee non-compete agreements as necessary and permissible under applicable state law.
19. License trade secrets for others use only with appropriate non-disclosure provisions
20. Request notification of disclosure requests concerning confidential information submitted to government agencies.
21. Advise government agencies whenever submitted information contains trade secrets or is otherwise exempt from disclosure.
22. Enter confidentiality agreements with government agencies concerning information submitted or products used which specifically restrict third-party use or disclosure.
23. Regularly inspect and update trade secret protection measures in order to ensure compliance and effectiveness.
24. Document the measures taken to protect trade secrets.
