The average e-mail message contains reams of information that can be useful to an in-house spook, from the computer used to create the message to whether it was altered after it was received.

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Compounding the problem, many of these computer systems were bespoke ones, built in the 1970s by in-house teams.

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For larger clients there are custom-tailored computer programs and even Herman Miller employees who will substitute for an in-house facilities management team.

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