Document Shredding News

Thorough and professional document shredding services are an established and proven method to effectively securing data or copies of data that are no longer needed for use. Shred-A-Way is proud to be able to say that for over 45 years we have provided dependable and secure shredding services in both Georgian and Alabama. In today’s working climate though, paper is no longer the sole major source of information storage and management. Computers and smartphones have increased in use in the workplace immensely over time, and it has become more and more important to ensure that electronic data is secured in addition to physical data on paper documents. This may sound easy at first; simply delete files you no longer need and use anti-virus, right? Not exactly! The issue is that simply deleting files doesn’t necessarily permanently erase them from existence. It’s for this reason that HDD shredding services have risen in popularity, and why more and more users are taking advantage of them.

We talk quite a lot about data security, theft and fraud. This is largely because they are very real risks for just about everyone; especially those who least expect to be victims. The damages that can arise from data or identity theft can be devastating, and the reality is that no one is completely absolved of risk of becoming a victim. One of the most effective tools used in many different workplaces to improve data security and reduce the risk of becoming a victim is known as a clean desk policy. Applied in workplaces of varying different industries across the country, the clean desk policy is something any business should consider in order to protect sensitive data and improve overall organization in the process.

One of the most important ways to ensuring that any data security protocol is effective is to make sure that the training and communication steps are thought out, and comprehensive. No policy can be effective when employees don’t know about it, understand it, or appreciate the importance of it. The training program needs to be designed to relay the importance of the policy, as well as the policy itself. Here are some ideas to consider when putting together your training program:

In 1996 the US government enacted and signed into effect the Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act; known otherwise as HIPAA. The act was amended largely to modernize the movement of healthcare-related information, and also to protect personal information from fraud and theft. In HIPAA, this was done by managing how and when personal information should be handled and managed. HIPAA impacts almost any organization operating in the health sector; from hospitals and medical practices to other businesses in the healthcare industry that handle sensitive personal and patient information (referred to as protected health information – PHI).cThe act provides specific guidelines for affected organizations on how long certain information needs to be held onto for, how it should be destroyed, and what information should be held onto and / or destroyed.

With how common computer and smartphone use has become both at home and at work, it’s likely that you’ve heard the terms “virus” and “malware” thrown around before. While it’s common knowledge that these are bad things that can ruin your electronic device, the many different types of malware and their functions are less known. [. . . Read More] The post Malware; Know the Different Types & How to Avoid Them appeared first on Shred-A-Way.

In the United States, many businesses and organizations are subject to different state and federal laws governing the management of business, and consumer-friendly practices. One such piece of legislation at the federal level is known as FACTA, and it affects almost every business in the United States. The Fair and Accurate Transactions Act (FACTA) was [. . . Read More] The post Is Your Small Business Keeping Up With FACTA? appeared first on Shred-A-Way.

The holiday season is among us! With all the hustle and bustle of gift buying, celebration and decoration, it can be easy to get caught up in the holidays. One thing many people don’t consider during the holidays (and who can blame them) is the increased risk of identity theft, and of theft in general.

If your business is already using a professional shredding service, you likely already know of the vital security enhancements that your office receives with regular shredding services. The highly advanced shredding machines used by real professional shredding services outperform office shredding machines in speed and capacity, and ensure that documents are destroyed in such a manner that they cannot be reconstructed.