Playing it Safe - Paper Shredding & Document …...Playing it Safe: Document Destruction Best...
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Playing it Safe: Document Destruction Best Practices In this Issue: • Secure Document Destruction At A Glance • Your Free Security Consultation 800.697.4733 | shredit.com All organizations possess confidential information about their operations and customers which increases the risk for becoming a target for identity theft and fraud. According to Ernst and Young’s 2012 Global Information Security Survey 1 , organizations are increasingly spending more money to address information security challenges. 30% of survey respondents expect to increase information security funding by 5% to 15%, while 9% expect to see an information security budget increase of 25% or more over the next 12 months. “Accessibility to documents that contain confidential data poses a serious threat to the business and reputational integrity of any organization,” says Michael Skidmore, Chief Security Officer at Shred-it. “It’s only common sense that organizations should do what it takes to prevent any compromises of their information, identifying security loopholes and implementing effective and reliable measures to address them.” Secure document destruction is one of these measures. Based on its 25 years of experience in this business, Shred-it shares some tricks of the trade and practical tips on how to make sure your confidential information stays confidential. 1 Ernst & Young’s 2012 Global Information Security Tracker, http://www.ey.com/GL/en/Services/Advisory/2012-GISS---Fighting-to-close-the- gap---Unbalanced-alignment
Transcript of Playing it Safe - Paper Shredding & Document …...Playing it Safe: Document Destruction Best...
Playing it Safe:
Document Destruction
Best Practices
In this Issue:
•SecureDocumentDestructionAtAGlance
•YourFreeSecurityConsultation
800.697.4733 | shredit.com
Allorganizationspossessconfidentialinformationabouttheiroperationsandcustomerswhichincreasesthe risk for becoming a target for identity theft and fraud. According to Ernst and Young’s 2012GlobalInformationSecuritySurvey1,organizationsareincreasinglyspendingmoremoneytoaddressinformationsecuritychallenges.30%of survey respondentsexpect to increase informationsecurityfundingby5%to15%,while9%expecttoseeaninformationsecuritybudgetincreaseof25%ormoreoverthenext12months.
“Accessibilitytodocumentsthatcontainconfidentialdataposesaseriousthreattothebusinessandreputationalintegrityofanyorganization,”saysMichaelSkidmore,ChiefSecurityOfficeratShred-it.“It’sonlycommonsensethatorganizationsshoulddowhatittakestopreventanycompromisesoftheirinformation,identifyingsecurityloopholesandimplementingeffectiveandreliablemeasurestoaddressthem.”
Securedocumentdestruction isoneof thesemeasures.Basedon its25yearsofexperience in thisbusiness,Shred-itsharessometricksofthetradeandpracticaltipsonhowtomakesureyourconfidentialinformationstaysconfidential.
1 Ernst&Young’s2012GlobalInformationSecurityTracker,http://www.ey.com/GL/en/Services/Advisory/2012-GISS---Fighting-to-close-the-gap---Unbalanced-alignment
800.697.4733 | shredit.com
Secure Document Destruction at a Glance
Bestpracticesindocumentdestructioncanbesummedupinthreegeneralguidelinesthatareeasytounderstandandimplement:
•Shred all and shred regularly –andavoid the risksofhumanerrororpoor judgmentaboutwhatneedstobeshredded.Detertheaccumulationofconfidentialpaperwastethatisstoredindifferentpartsofyouroffice,creatingasecurityrisk.
•Shred before recycling – and spare yourself from worrying about what happens to yourconfidentialpaperwasteonceitisattherecyclerorintransittotherecycler.
•Shred using a professional service–andensuretherearenosecurityloopholesanywhereintheprocess.Outsourcingalsosavesthetimeandresourcesofyouremployees.
Whenimplementedinastrategicandintegratedway,theseprincipleswilldramaticallyincreasethesecurityofyourdocuments,yourbusinessandyourcustomers.Butlet’slookatthemoneatatime.
Best Practice #1: Shred It All On A Regular BasisA“shred-all” policyisoneofthemostcriticalstepsyoucantaketowardstotalinformationsecurity.Itmeansadepartmentorcompanywidecommitmenttoshreddingalldocumentsonaregularbasis.Standardizing document destruction procedureswill allow your organization to align its rules andregulationswithitsinformationsecuritygoalsandneeds.
In2012,theFederalTradeCommissionsettledchargesagainsttwopaydaylendingandcheckcashingcompanieswhocarelesslyleftcustomers’SocialSecuritynumbers,bankaccountnumbersandcreditreportsinunsecureddumpstersneartheirretaillocations.Thecompaniesagreedtopay$101,500andwereorderedtoimplementaninformationdestructionprogramwhichwillbereviewedonabiannualbasisforthenext20years2.
A shred-allpolicy isaway tomakesure thereareno leaks– intentionalorunintentional–ofyourorganization’s sensitive information to outside sources, including criminal groups that feed on thissensitiveinformationtocommitfraudsuchasidentitytheft.Inturn,regulardisposalofpaperwaste
2 http://www.ftc.gov/os/caselist/1023172/121107plspaydaystip
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meansitdoesnotaccumulateinanuncontrolledmanner,reducingthepotentialforsecuritybreachesbroughtaboutthroughnegligenceormaliciousintent.
Tips for successfully implementing a Shred-all Policy:
•Conductregularinformationsecurityassessmentstohelpyouidentifyareasofvulnerabilityandpotentialrisksinyouroffice.Taketimetodocumenttheflowofconfidentialinformationinyourcompany;whereitiscreated,storedandaccessed.
•Update your document destruction policies accordingly based on your findings and new orupdatedlegislation.
•Trainyour staff in securedocumentdestructionprocedures. Show themyour commitment tothecauseandhelpthemunderstandtheimportanceofprotectingyourcustomers’–andyourcompany’s–confidentialinformation.
Fullcooperationbyyouremployeesisparamount,butawordofcautionisinorder.Whilemostsecuritythreatsmaybeperceivedtobeoutsideofyourorganization,don’toverlookthepotentialforinternalthreats.Yourstaffmayactuallybeoneofthem.Best Practice #2: Shred Before Recycling
Youmaythinkyouaredoingyourpartfortheenvironmentbytossingpaperintotherecyclingbin.However,areyourecyclinginasecurity-consciousmanner?Remember:loosepaperisoftenunattendedbeforeithasbeenrecycled,anditcanleaveyourorganizationvulnerabletopotentialsecuritybreaches.Forexample,unguardedpaperinrecyclingcontainerscanbemisplacedorstolen.Or,itcansimplyfalloutoftherecyclingtruckandontothestreet.
There is away tomeet both needs – serving the environment and following responsible businesspractices–byrecyclingdocumentswhilealsokeepingyourcustomers’informationconfidential.Youcanachievebothgoalsbyoutsourcingdocumentdestructiontoareliableserviceproviderwithhighsecuritystandardsandastrongenvironmentalrecord.
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Youmightfinditinterestingtoknowthat,whenworkingwithShred-it,organizationssaveonetreethroughrecyclingevery timetheyfillup twoShred-it securitycontainerswithpaper.Shred-itevenofferscustomersanannualEnvironmentalCertificate,whichstateshowmanytreestheysavedthatyear.What’smore,usingrecyclable,biodegradable,hydraulicfuelsforitsvehicles,Shred-itprovesitscontinuingcommitmenttoimproveitsenvironmentalpractices.Best Practice #3: Shred With a Reliable Supplier
Onceyou’veimplementedallthesemeasures,you’llcomealongwaytowardtheultimategoal–totalsecurity for your customer, employee and business information. However, one question remains –shouldyouhireathird-partyproviderortrypursuingthesemeasuresonyourown?Hereareafewpointerstohelpyouponderthisquestion:
•Whenyououtsourcedocumentdestruction,you free up your staff to concentrate on what matters the most–yourbusinessandthebottomline.Thismeansproductivitysavingsofupto15-20percent,accordingtoShred-it’sanalysisofthenumberofemployeesgeneratingandshreddingpaper,thetimeittakesthemandtheirhourlywage.
•Most organizations do not have the expertise to ensure total security of the documentdestructionprocess.Nordotheyhavetheequipmentnecessaryforstoringandshreddingsensitivedocuments, such as locked security consoles and powerful shreddingmachines. Finally, theydonothavetheresourcesneededtosupportthetightchainofcustodyaroundthedocumentdestructionprocess.
Shred-it’sonsite lockeddocumentstoragecontainersensurethatoncedocumentsarereadytobediscarded, they remain secure and protected until Shred-it personnel arrive. Those documents arethenmovedtoaShred-ittruck,followingatightchainofcustody.There,atyourlocation,theyarefullyshredded, leavingonlysmallconfetti-likepiecesofpaperthatcannotbereassembled.Shred-itcompletestheprocess,issuingaCertificateofDestructiontoprovideverificationthatdocumentshavebeensecurelydestroyed.
Byoutsourcing yourdocumentdestructionneeds, you cangain access to yearsof experience andexpertiseofaprofessionaldocumentdestructionserviceprovider.Indoingso,yousignificantlyreducetheriskofunfortunatemisstepsoraccidents,potentiallyleadingtosecuritybreaches,privacyviolationsandidentitytheftandfraud.
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About Shred-it
Shred-itisaworld-leadinginformationsecuritycompanyprovidingdocumentdestructionservicesthatensurethe securityand integrityofourcustomers’private information.Thecompanyoperates140branches in16countriesworldwide, servicingover150,000global,nationaland localbusinesses, including theworld’s topintelligenceandsecurityagencies,morethan500policeforces,1,500hospitals,8,500bankbranchesand1,200universitiesandcolleges.
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Shred-ithasdevelopedanonlinesurveytohelpbusinessesbetterunderstandsecuritygaps,conductyourownsecurityself-assessment.
LearnmoreaboutShred-itservicesorbookyourFREEsecurityassessment.
YoucanalsovisitShred-itonLinkedIn,FacebookorfollowusonTwitter.
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