Information Security Guide

1. State of the Industry Report

While the 2015 Shred-it Information Security Tracker survey found that more organizations are becoming aware of their current obligations and requirements to securely protect their data, it also saw that awareness does not always translate into action.

According to the Security Tracker, 90% of c-suite executives and 79% of small business owners are aware of the legal requirements for storing, keeping or disposing of confidential data in their industry. However, a shocking 37% of small business owners reported having no protocol in place for the secure destruction of confidential information. The gap between large organizations and small businesses was even wider on cybersecurity policies with 85% of c-suites reporting having such policy, while only 35% of small business owners do.

Without the proper information security protocols and policies in place, organizations are not only risking the personal and confidential information of their customers and employees, but increasing their chances of financial loss, reputational damage and legal repercussions. As such, organizations should develop comprehensive policies that are aligned with legislative requirements and aimed at protecting sensitive data in all forms, starting from collection through storage and into destruction.

To get the facts about current security views, risk factors and prevention strategies in this year’s State of the Industry report please visit the Shred-it Resource Center to download the full report.
 

2. Small Businesses Risk Reputation by Ignoring Information Security Threats

• Printing Station: Confidential documents left at printing stations are vulnerable to snooping and can increase your security risks. Remind employees to ask themselves “Do you have all your printed material?”
• Unsecure bins: Disposing information in unsecure bins increases your organization’s risk of fraud. Securely shred all documents to eliminate guesswork and still ensure your paper is recycled. Remind employees “Stop! That should be shredded.”
• Unused Hardware: Securely destroying hardware that has outlived its usefulness is the only way to ensure that the data on them is completely gone. Remind employees “Don’t delete. Destroy!”
• Storage: Locking storage units and filing cabinets prevents unauthorized access to confidential information and helps decrease the risk of fraud. Remind employees “Don’t forget to lock up.

3. Data Breach Roundup

• Perform regular clean-ups of storage facilities to avoid stockpiling unused hard drives
• Sign out all electronic storage devices, especially if they contain confidential data, to ensure they are being tracked at all times and never left for a passer-by to easily pick up
• Ensure employees lock their laptop to the desk and remember to lock their screen when they leave their desk
• Engage a third-party provider to destroy all unused hard drives including old laptops, smartphones, tablets and USBs
• Encrypt smartphones, tablets, external memory drives and laptops to ensure data remains secure even if the device is lost or stolen

4. Customer Connections