People are going to hunt through your business’s garbage. That doesn’t mean people are just going to sift through the trash bags (though they certainly might). It means that data security thieves know how to identify the signs that your company is throwing away valuable trash and not protecting them.
Destruction is the only way to protect information. Here’s why:
1. If you touched the information, you’re liable for it.
‘Throwing away’ is a mindset that can’t exist anymore in the business world. Once you have information, you have that information for as long as it exists. It doesn’t matter if you sell the computers that held the information, you shredded the papers that hold personal details, or everything is on an old server in the back. All of it is your company’s responsibility.
So restructure your company so every scrap of data is accounted for. Count your company flash drives and maintain a strict inventory. Destroy papers, don’t just shred them. When it’s time to get rid of an old computer, don’t delete everything on the hard drive and then sell it. Destroy it.
2. Poor trash security indicates poor data security.
Thieves are constantly on the lookout for signals that your business will be a worthwhile target. Things like propped on doors and lax security pass enforcement are huge tip-offs. But bags of unprotected valuable trash full of mostly-whole items is just as clear of a signal.
If you have stacks of paper in trash bags without any sign of shredding, criminals can assume that papers are loosely stacked on employee desks, too. If you’re throwing away whole hard drives, your cyber-security will be easy to beat. Even if these extrapolations aren’t true, you’ll still be faced with more attempted security breaches. Eventually, one might get through.
Don’t take the risk. Contact us at Phiston Technologies for the right tools to complete destroy information before it leaves your hands.
