Why You Should Protect Your Business from Corporate Identity Theft

Do You Have Corporate Identity Theft Protection?

There are many types of corporate identity theft, but the most common is a cyberattack. This type of attack involves a hacker that is able to steal company information by hacking into a server or individual computer. Of course, this is done without the organization’s knowledge, in the same way data breaches affect consumers. Other types of theft include when physical company documents or records are stolen. It can happen either from within the business at the hands of an employee or even if paperwork is mishandled or improperly discarded.

Computers have provided businesses with numerous benefits. However, they have also made it easier for outsiders  act against them than ever before. For proof, consider the fact that 66 percent of small and medium-sized businesses in the entire world experienced some kind of cyberattack in 2018,

As a result, companies need to put serious effort into protecting sensitive information because a cybersecurity breach can have such catastrophic consequences. One excellent example would be a disruption of the computer systems that make it possible for them to run their revenue-earning operations, which can be particularly painful if they don’t have either up-to-date back-ups or a well-practiced way to use those up-to-date back-ups. Another excellent example would be the theft of sensitive information that can be used to steal identities. Something that can cause outraged customers suing the corporation for compensation, thus resulting in legal fees and other losses. On top of that, consumers can be very sensitive to identify theft, meaning that such incidents will have a lasting effect on the corporation’s brand and thus the corporation’s marketing. Combined, it is no wonder that 60 percent of smaller companies go under within 6 months of them being hacked because they just don’t have the foundations needed to soak up such a hit.

How Can a Professional Destruction Service Prevent Corporate Identity Theft?

If confidential information falls into the wrong hands, your business could suffer immensely. The thief can impersonate you and others within your business to steal from the company. Whether it’s running up credit card bills, purchasing equipment, applying for business loans, or using information for their personal gain, corporate identity thieves show no mercy.

There are various measures that companies should implement to prevent identity theft as well as other cybersecurity issues. One would be the use of a professional destruction service to prevent potential leakage, which is much more important than what interested parties might imagine. After all, most cybersecurity breaches don’t happen because of some kind of super-criminal with incredible hacking skills. Instead, most cybersecurity breaches happen because human beings are prone to making mistakes from time to time, thus enabling opportunistic individuals to break into even the most secured systems. Thanks to this, it is very important for companies to make sure that the sensitive information on storage mediums that are no longer in use be destroyed by a secure destruction service.

As for what will happen in said process, the answer is very simple and straightforward. Document shredding will ensure that paper documents are destroyed beyond recovery by reducing them into such small pieces that they can’t be put back together. Meanwhile, hard drives are more resilient, which is why hard drive destruction is much more intensive in nature. Some companies might be tempted to just format a hard drive before overwriting it a few times. However, there are people out there who have claimed that this isn’t enough, which is why they should consider eliminating all doubts by having the hard drive physically destroyed by a secure destruction service with the tools needed to do so.

Regularly changing logins, passwords and other methods for accessing corporate bank accounts, credit cards and other important files can help prevent corporate identity theft. Company employees can sometimes be duped into logging into a fake website which matches the one they normally log into. After they log in, the hacker can easily steal information to get account numbers, trade secrets, proprietary formulas and more.

Phishing is another way that identity thieves will try. An employee may receive company emails that appear to be from a trusted source but contain fake links. Once these links are clicked upon, hackers can access to the company’s network. Phishing emails can also dupe employees into providing logins and other sensitive information.

Further Considerations

Any size company can be vulnerable to corporate identity theft, so it’s absolutely crucial to put safeguards in place that will protect your business. To ensure that your company does not fall prey to criminals, be sure to update safety procedures, train your team on how to spot phishing attempts and definitely implement a shredding policy and schedule.

You should be thorough in the protection of sensitive information by making sure that the storage mediums have been handled by a professional destruction service. In this manner, interested parties can ensure complete peace of mind for themselves.

IntelliShred has been awarded the highest security rating, “AAA Certified” by the National Association for Information Destruction (NAID). Contact us today on how we can help save your business from corporate identity theft.

NAID Certified Shredding

With internet fraud and identity threats on an upsurge, data security and privacy are getting more complicated. A 2018 study says that the average cost of confidential records being stolen or lost is around $148 per record, and more than $3.86 million is spent on each data breach incident globally.

When it comes to selecting an appropriate paper shredding company to look after your document destruction needs, it’s crucial to consider the provider’s background credentials. How long have they been in the paper shredding industry? Are they associated with key groups or organizations that are relevant to their services? Most importantly, are they a NAID certified shredding company?

What does NAID certified shredding mean? What is NAID and what does it represent? NAID is the international trade association for the information destruction industry. It’s  purpose is to help and promote the highest standards of ethics for the document destruction industry, through partnering with its members and lawmakers to ensure that happens. Selecting the right shredding company is the first step in making sure your documents are secure.

What Does the NAID Certification Entail?

Now that you know what is NAID-certified shredding, let’s delve deeper to learn more about the certification process and details. Being AAA certified means a document shredding company meets stringent qualifications for secure data destruction. 

The certification covers 20 operational and security areas, including video surveillance, transport, particle size, employee screening, written policies, access control, and training. Its primary objectives are:

• Verifying that the company follows protocols specified for the security of confidential information throughout the destruction stages, starting from handling to storing before destruction, shredding, and disposing of shredded documents
• Assuring a 3-step background screening process restricting any individual with a known criminal history from handling confidential data
• Implementing a comprehensive and regimented audit program ensures that certified companies can receive an unannounced audit anytime or any day without prior notice

What does a NAID Certified Shredding Company Promise to its Customers?

• Random criminal background checks on all employees prior to hiring
• Drug-testing during pre-employment process and random drug screening for all employees
• A certified document that thoroughly indicates sensitive documents have been shred 100%. (Certificate of Destruction)
• $3,000,000 general liability insurance
• Professional personnel in uniform with visible photo ID badges
• Comprehensive security policies in place with strict safety procedures every step of the way
• All staff must sign a Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Agreement

Why does NAID Certified Shredding Matter for Your Security?

Every organization needs to comply with contractual and legal obligations to protect sensitive data from identity thefts and cyber threats. Understanding what is NAID-certified shredding and choosing an AAA certified company can make your business secure and reliable in many ways. Here, they are:

Assured Privacy Compliance

• Security is incomparable; a NAID certified shredding company like IntelliShred, must follow over 20 specific requirements in regards to security and operational necessities; these include access control, transport, video surveillance, and employee screening

• Since documents will be destroyed with a cross-cut shredding process, the paper particle size is too small to reassemble the same or save the information.

Certified Data Destruction

• Apart from meeting the compliance requirements, a NAID certified shredding company also provides a Certificate of Destruction to prove the same.

• The confidentiality of your business documents is vital; businesses who are not NAID Certified may be practicing habits that fail to meet legal privacy standards; therefore your business may be at risk

Safe Disposal

• Before shredding, the documents are stored in closed containers to prevent unauthorized access. A secure wipe standard is followed to make electronic data unrecoverable. After shredding or pulping the documents, the company will dispose of them according to FACTA Final Disposal Rule and PCI compliance guidelines.

Peace of Mind

We Keep Your Business Safe

By hiring IntelliShred to look after your commercial document shredding needs, you can rest assured that your information is in the best hands. Our procedures follow the highest security standards in the industry and most importantly, abide with specifications outlined under NAID. Contact IntelliShred in New Jersey for further details in regards to the unique paper shredding services we offer. Call 1-866-747-3360.

Secure hard drive destruction services should be your priority as a business, but even as an individual. It’s easy to find an answer to “how” but are you ready to know why you should wipe a hard drive (HDD)?

Most people might assume that destroying their hard drives is as easy as burning them, chopping them up into pieces or crushing them in a hydraulic press. Although it may make logical sense, the reality is that the information stored on those drives you’ve shattered to pieces can still be stolen!

Here are 5 reasons to use secure hard drive destruction services:

1. It Helps Keep Your Identity Intact

In 2019 alone there were a reported 3.2 million cases of identity theft and fraud. The same source cites data breaches that affect hundreds of millions of people—if not over a billion! If you’re a corporation, you owe it to your customers not to let their data out into the wild.

The cause of many of these breaches is social engineering using “spear phishing” or digital dumpster diving of discarded hardware (like hard drives) for corporate information.

2. Ecological Responsibilities

No federal laws set by the EPA doesn’t prevent states from enacting and enforcing hefty fines themselves. The National Conference of State Legislatures does outline strict adherence to laws put up by 24 states—half of the lower 48. Why does it matter?

Lead, Mercury, and Cadmium are only three of many heavy metals and toxic elements in electronic waste—HDDs included.

3. The “Delete” Function Doesn’t “Destroy”

It might surprise you that all the delete button is good for is removing the part of a file that tells the operating system where to find it. Each file comes with a table of contents about where the information for that file is located.

There’s no guarantee that the information on the hard drive is irretrievable unless it is either: physically destroyed or written over with ones and zeroes multiple times.

4. Peace of Mind So You Won’t Get Fined (Or Worse)

According to IBM and the Ponyman Institute, the average cost of a data breach is $3.86 million, though it could be much higher. U.S. based companies are most at risk for data breaches according to the report.

This includes third-party security consultation, legal fees, and lost sales among many other reasons.

5. Free Up Closet Space

If you’re like most companies you probably have a secured records room. That room probably also serves as a storage room for things you can’t figure out how to dispose of, like old hard drives or prototype product lines.

It would be easy to overlook an employee coming in and taking one to sell to a competitor or on the black market.

Leave Destruction To The Professionals

The headache of secure hard drive destruction is best left to a professional shredding and destruction service. In order to ensure that it’s done properly and in a compliant fashion, it’s best to hire a service with years of relevant experience. Whether it’s hard drives, they’re in your desktops or laptops, tablets or smartphones, it’s essential that you maintain compliance with the constantly changing e-waste regulations.

According to a recent Department of Health and Human Services report, data breaches in the health industry due to improper disposal of e-waste are becoming more common. Make sure your vendor can guarantee that your drives are completely destroyed—and that their data is unrecoverable.

It’s hard to remember that hard drives are embedded in most technology – everything from laptops, to tablets to video game consoles. When it’s not exactly sure what items need to be destroyed, a trusted secure hard drive destruction service will help determine how to select your e-waste shredding.

Most shredding and destruction services will provide you with a certificate of destruction. This document states that the data stored on your hard drive has been properly erased and all of its hardware has been disposed of. This is proof that you are in compliance with the official information security regulations in your state.

Secure Hard Drive Destruction At IntelliShred

IntelliShred provides clients with on-site mobile shredding and secure hard drive destruction services. Our advanced mobile shredding and destruction trucks will come directly to your location and destroy your hard drives and other materials. We can guarantee your hard drives will be properly destroyed before being discarded. We’re also committed to saving the environment, so we will deliver any recyclable materials to the proper metal and electronics recycling center.

IntelliShred has earned the NAID’s AAA Certification and we only send e-waste to certified recycling partners that comply with federal and state regulations. The National Association for Information Destruction (NAID), is a trade organization which provides a voluntary certification program for member companies that provide information destruction services.

IntelliShred has you covered on both fronts. Since 1999 we’ve been supporting the New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey areas in data protection and privacy. Contact us today for more information on our services – we’re happy to answer any questions you may have about shredding and destruction.