Businesses of all sizes are at risk from data breaches, which can lead to huge financial losses and even put employees’ safety at risk. One of the most common ways that data breaches occur is through the mishandling of confidential information by employees. This can be avoided by using a professional document shredding service. In this blog post, we will discuss some of the ways in-house shredding can put your business at risk.
The risk of identity theft: One of the most common ways that data breaches occur is through the theft of confidential information. This can be done by stealing physical documents or accessing electronic files without authorization. If your business does not have a secure shredding procedure in place, your confidential information could be stolen and used to commit identity theft.
The risk of fraud: Another way data breaches can occur is through fraud. This can happen if confidential information is released to someone who should not have access to it. For example, if an employee releases customer credit card numbers to a third party, this could lead to fraud.
The risk of compliance issues: In-house shredding can also put your business at risk from compliance issues. This is because you may not be able to prove that you have destroyed all of the confidential information in your possession. This could lead to fines or other penalties from regulatory bodies.
Unguaranteed customer protection: One of the most important things that businesses need to protect is their customer base. If you do not have a secure shredding procedure in place, then you could be putting your customers at risk. This is because their confidential information could be released without their consent.
Unreliable employee protection: In-house shredding can also put your employees at risk. This is because they may be unaware of the importance of properly disposing of shredded documents. As a result, they could inadvertently release confidential information.
Legal implications: In-house shredding can also have legal implications. This is because you could be liable for damages if confidential information is released without the consent of the people involved.
The risk of reputational damage: In-house shredding can also put your business at risk of reputational damage. This is because if data breaches occur, they will be made public, and your business will be associated with the breach. This can damage your reputation and make it difficult to attract new customers.
E-document breach: One of the most common ways that data breaches occur is through the mishandling of confidential information by employees. This can be avoided by using a professional document shredding service. In this blog post, we will discuss some of the ways in-house shredding can put your business at risk.
Data and confidentiality breaches are amongst the most common dangers of in-house shredding. If an employee releases customer credit card numbers to a third party, this could lead to fraud. If you do not have a secure shredding procedure in place, then your confidential information could be stolen and used to commit identity theft. Not being able to prove that you have destroyed all the confidential information in your possession can also lead to fines or penalties from regulatory bodies.
In-house shredding can put your business at risk in many ways, which is why it is essential to protect against it. One of the best ways to protect against the security breach brought by in-house shredding is to outsource shredding. However, outsourcing shredding may not always be feasible, and it might not be the best option for large organizations that need shredding machines every day. While keeping a shredding machine in-house, it’s important to take the necessary steps to minimize data breaches. Here are a few steps to help you do the same:
Creating a strict policy: The first step is to create a strict policy regarding in-house shredding. This policy should include the types of documents that can be shredded and how they should be shredded.
Educating employees: The next step is to inform your employees about the importance of confidentiality and data security. They should be made aware of the consequences of releasing confidential information without consent.
Enforcing the policy: Once you have created a policy, it is important to implement it. Employees who do not adhere to the policy should be disciplined accordingly.
Selecting times and employees with access to shredder: While keeping a normal shredder in the commonplace is not a problem, you might want to consider changing the location of the shredding machine that sees the most confidential documents. Also, limiting the number of employees accessing the shredder can limit the chances of data breaches. However, this can be a double-edged sword as the few employees with access to the shredder will have a detailed knowledge of everything that goes into the machine.
In-house shredding can put your business at risk in many ways, but there are ways to protect against it. Creating a strict policy and educating your employees about data security are two important steps you should not miss when using an in-house shredder.