The advent of technology and its progress over the years has drastically changed the way most businesses store their information. While there are many benefits to this new mode of operation, there are also many potential risks.
It’s never been easier for criminals to gain access to a business’s sensitive documents, data, and information.
But what exactly are the threats you should be keeping an eye out for?
Malware
Malware is malicious software that is designed to probe your operating system with the goal of harming your device. Malware can affect both individual systems and those of businesses.
Ironically, malware is often disguised as a warning for, well, other malware. These warnings will often prompt the user to click through to a certain link to “fix” the problem, causing even more damage. For example, you might have had a warning pop up on your device’s screen that says something like “WARNING: YOUR DEVICE HAS BEEN INFECTED – CLICK HERE TO FIX”
In 2018, there were more than 10.5 Billion malware attacks worldwide and, unfortunately, this number is rising with every passing year as the use of technology continues to grow.
Human Error
Let’s face it, mistakes happen. And when they do, they can potentially compromise the security of your business. For example, maybe someone puts a sensitive document in the recycle bin instead of a shred pile. Or possibly, a document with important information is left out around the office. Regardless of the individual case, human error accounts for 90+ percent of security breaches.
Luckily, certain steps can be taken to make sure your business can protect their sensitive information.
What can you do to protect yourself and your business?
The best way to protect yourself against breaches of sensitive information is to make sure all potentially harmful documents are either destroyed or securely stored. In order to do this, it’s often a good idea to hire an experienced team of professionals to help you throughout the process.
Here are just a few services these experts might provide to help prevent data breaches:
Secure Shredding
When you dispose of documents containing sensitive information, it’s important to make sure they can’t be pieced back together. That’s why a shredding policy for your company is so important.
To take it a step further and maximize your safety, it’s a great idea to implement a shred-all policy for your business.
Secure Storage
What about documents that cannot be destroyed? For this, your best option is moving them to a secure storage facility. This way, you’ll be able to access them at any time while still virtually eliminating the risk of data leaks.
Protect your Information With Western Archives
Western Archives is a top provider of secure document destruction services in Edmonton. They also own and operate a state-of-the-art storage facility to help businesses securely store their sensitive information. Contact them today to learn more about how they can help protect your information!