Part of our new digital work environment really includes a little bit of all types of record management activities. Scanning is becoming more and more popular. Faxing is starting to become pretty outdated. Of course, we still print out and copy already digitized documents. Many businesses don’t truly calculate the risk of digitized media. How are your servers backed up? Who is monitoring if they are backed up correctly. Who has access? Oftentimes when we scan or fax we don't think about those machines being easily accessible to hackers because of their low security settings. The more we digitize the more at risk our businesses become.
One company in particular was hit very hard due to this lack of destruction protocols. Affinity Health Plan didn’t remove and destroy the data from their copy and fax machines. That data became compromised by identity thieves and they settled for 1.3 million dollars. The crazy part in this story is that the machines the data was pulled from were leased machines and they were still held accountable. Destroying digitized data is just as, or more, important as shredding paper.
So, what items in your business or home have digitized data contained in them? Are you taking the proper destruction protocols to keep that data safe? How are you backing up that data? These are very important questions to ask as we evolve to a more digitized society. A data breach can literally kill a small business. Especially if you operate in a smaller community. Once that story hits the local news you have lost all credibility with your client base. Digitized data is great….until it becomes a liability. Destroy those flash drives and hard drives confidentially with a NAID certified shredding destruction company like Embassy Records Management.
The main culprits of these data breaches are from scanners, printers, and fax machines. Most people are aware of hard drive destruction or CPU destruction but many business execs are unaware that printers and fax machines store sensitive data either permanently or temporarily. Virtually all massive scanning and copying machines have hard drive storage.
We at Embassy recommend that you have an “Electronic Waste Destruction Plan” in place for your home and office. This just compliments your document shredding protocols.
Do you work in a medical office? If yes then monitors of all types have data stored. Ventilators, CT’s, MRIs, and ultrasound equipment all have data storage.
Smart phones are guilty all the time. Any personal or business cell phones need to be wiped clean or destroyed after use. Obviously, laptops and tablets contain data. Did you remove any memory cards or sim cards from these devices?
Flash drives and zip drives are often culprits as well. Any type of computer back-up tapes or reels need to be destroyed confidentially.
Almost all electronic office equipment can put you at risk. Think twice before throwing away electronic media and related e waste.
How to avoid these data breaches.
Our best recommendation is to call a NAID certified paper shredding company or call a certified hard drive destruction company. They can assist your company in developing an e waste plan for your office. Typically, your IT provider needs to assist in minimizing spyware and malware. Usually, a monthly fee is charged to monitor any malicious activity.
Embassy Records Management has over 47 years of combined paper shredding and hard drive shredding destruction experience. If you have question about e waste or electronic waste just give us a call and we can help. We do offer convenient and affordable electronics recycling and hard drive destruction services. We can also handle all of your confidential paper shredding and imaging services. Our protocols ensure that the proper chain of custody ends with your business being safe and sound from hackers and identity thieves.
At the end of any destruction service, we happily provide each customer with a certificate of destruction for destruction services rendered.
We are the trusted local paper shredding company in Central Texas.
Give us a call any time at 800-717-1443.
Our Waco, TX address is 2100 Webster Ave. Waco, TX 76706.
Our College Station, TX location is at 6936 Old Jones Rd. College Station, TX 77845.
Our Round Rock, TX location is at 1000 Heritage Center Circle Road. Suite 363. Round Rock, TX 78664.
Our Conroe, TX location is at 2040 N Loop 336 W Suite 127, Conroe, TX 77304