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The article focuses on the trading scandal at Paris, France-based Sociéte Générale, involving financial trader Jerome Kerviel, who allegedly processed fake transactions. It is noted that Kerviel's unauthorized activities, which have been discovered in January 2008, have cost the company $7.2 billion in losses. In its paper released to the public, the bank asserts that the scandal shows a lesson for companies that information technology (IT) controls are vital for managing corporate risk, but are nothing without proper monitoring and enforcement efforts. Furthermore, it has been found that Kerviel's division had implemented all of the bank's recommended IT controls.

The article discusses the architectural shortcomings found in the ES3B e-voting systems used in most of Netherlands and in parts of Germany and France. A team of Dutch researchers belonging to an Amsterdam-based group advocating against the use of e-voting systems claimed to have found several security flaws in machines used in the elections. The group has also called for a return to paper ballots. The alleged security shortcomings were reported in details on the Web site of an organization called Wij Vertrouwen Stemcomputers Niet.