Learning Experience (Score 2, Insightful)

Unfortunately, this sounds pretty standard. Having recently left an outsource vendor, I can tell you that all of these "takeovers" start small and innocently. The general rule of thumb is to grasp hold of three of the company's problem or large projects/systems. Once that happens, leaving the vendor changes from painful to nearly impossible. Unfortunately, all I/T personnel are under attack. With recent graduates flooding the market, the cost of employment has taken a sharp downturn. For companies that don't want to bother with training and development or can no longer support dedicated staff, outsourcing is the way to go. Although our jobs are at risk daily, many do not recognize the danger until external factors are added to the equation. You don't need to be paranoid, but you do need to be aware of such changes, decisions, and movements within your organization. To your point about coming back later with another security investigation, just walk away. If you plan on starting your own security firm, you might get away with it, but accept the fact that most people will be suspicious of your intentions. I apologize and sympathize, but you need to move on and learn to watch for the warning signs. We are all replaceable.