Did you know that every year there are thousands of businesses across the world affected by the theft of valuable documents that have been disposed of? Did you also know that every year many people are the victims of identity theft? In this digital world, we often think of security as having everything to do with the online world, but the fact is that offline security is just as important. Here is some good reading on the importance of shredding documents.

Why Important Documents Need to Be Shredded

Every business stores data in a paper format or on hard drives and other digital devices. As customers, we naturally assume that the businesses we have dealings with will treat our personal information in a discreet manner. Unfortunately, many thieves target rubbish bins where business documents have been thrown out. They can then scan through these confidential papers and find out all sorts of information, such as:

• Names and personal addresses
• Credit card and bank details
• Sensitive health information
• Other personally identifying information

In this day and age, it is also increasingly common for businesses to store sensitive data on hard drives and other devices. But what happens to those hard disks when a computer is upgraded in the office? Just as with confidential documents, it should be destroyed in a manner that makes all of the data on it irretrievable; however, all too often, the storage devices are merely thrown out into publicly accessible rubbish bins. These areas are very easy targets for thieves.

When Confidential Information Goes Wild

When personal and sensitive data is stolen by thieves, it can compromise security in the following ways:

• The identity of customers and clients is revealed to unauthorised people.
• Financial information can be taken and used for illegal purposes by thieves and cybercriminals.
• Sensitive records can be seen and abused by others.
• Confidential or secret business documents can be used illegally or revealed to the public.

The fact is that businesses have enough trouble in a globally competitive environment without the added pressure of having their confidential data and documents stolen and abused by those with ill intentions. The good news is that companies such as TDS Safeguard offer professional shredding, destruction, and disposal services.

The Value of a Shredding Service

The Data Protection Act of 1998 means that every business is responsible for the treatment of sensitive data. When it is lost or stolen, those companies face serious legal consequences. In this context, it is crucial for every business to have a shredding and data disposal plan that results in confidential data being not at risk of being stolen or seen by unauthorised persons.

A professional shredding service can rapidly shred and dispose of confidential documents so that they are not at risk of being seen or stolen by others. It can also take computer equipment, such as hard drives, and ensure that it is destroyed by data protection laws.

No business in today’s rapid world can afford not to have document destruction and data management policy in place.