Is your dealership properly handling sensitive information?
Shred-it’s 2015 Security Tracker study has shown a growing divide between large organizations and small businesses when it comes to information security.
Per the study, 65 per cent of executives say they have protocols in place for storing and disposing of confidential data, up from 42 per cent in 2014.
Meanwhile, small business owners have made little headway in combating information security threats, with 37 per cent saying they don’t have a protocol for storing or disposing of confidential data.
That not only puts the confidential information of their employees and customers at risk but also it jeopardizes potential business opportunities, said Shred-it.
Considering the sensitive information dealerships handle about their customers, proper protocols and disposals of this information is critical.
Here are a few general tips Shred-it has released:
1. To better secure physical assets, businesses should:
- Provide employees with filing cabinets that can be locked.
- Eliminate unsecured recycling bins and provide secure shredding containers for the secure destruction of documents.
- Securely destroy old hard drives once they are no longer needed.
- Use laptop locks that prevent physical theft.
2. To better secure digital information, businesses should:
- Encrypt employee smartphones so that data is secure if phones are lost or stolen.
- Regularly update software to ensure security holes are patched.
- Limit access to network folders with sensitive information.
- Install anti-malware software on all computers and block access to risky sites.
