If you don’t set a document destruction policy (also known as a DRP, document retention policy), there will be gaps in your data security that criminals will eventually be able to exploit. The result? Liability, and customers who lose trust in your company. 

Pairing shredding services with a firm and well-crafted policy is the best way to ensure that your company complies with the law and any regulatory standards that might govern your industry. 

Create a Written Policy

Every employee should receive a written copy of the policy, which should include:

1. The purpose of the policy is to help employees understand why it’s important to comply with it.
2. Which documents should be retained, and for how long?
3. Which documents should be shredded, and how often? 
4. Is it permissible for any paperwork to leave the property? If so, which papers may be taken, and when must they be returned? 
5. Who is responsible for making sure documents are handled correctly?

When writing your policy, you should consider:

• The types of documents your company produces or receives.
• Any regulatory requirements or legal requirements governing those documents, and how long you’re expected to retain them.
• How often you intend to review this policy, and who will be responsible for reviewing and updating it.

Make Document Destruction Easy

Document destruction becomes consistent when it’s easy and routine. Putting one person in charge of the office shredder isn’t efficient and depends on employees remembering to get the paperwork to the shred pile. 

Place secure containers throughout your building or office so that employees can dump their documents as they walk by. Make sure these containers are safe and lockable so that nobody can gain unauthorized access to sensitive information while it is sitting around waiting to be destroyed.

Data Shredding Services of Houston offers a Routine or Ongoing Container service to make this step as convenient and as easy as possible. You may combine this service with either our on-site Mobile Shredding truck service or our plant-based, off-site shredding service. 

Schedule Document Destruction Services

We provide Houston business owners with a wide range of document destruction solutions. We also offer a record storage service that allows us to protect your documents while allowing you full access to them, reducing the amount of office space you must spend on records retention.

We will custom-create a solution that works for your company and do our part to protect you from identity thieves and lawsuits. Call 1-888-SHRED-99 to get started today. 

The post How to Set an Excellent Document Destruction Policy appeared first on Shredding Houston.

Data breaches destroy customer confidence in your company. 

They also leave you on the hook for customer damage, and identity theft is costly. Thus, it’s a good idea to take the potential for breaches seriously.

Here are five ways you can prevent data breaches at your company.

#1) Educate Your Employees

Your employees are the first line of defense against any data breach. Train them to protect your security by:

• Using strong passwords
• Using multi-factor authentication
• Spotting common scams
• Data protection regulations

You should also train them on which documents to shred and when and provide them with shredding receptacles. 

#2) Take Security Measures

Every company needs to take security measures to defend against hackers.

• Use anti-virus software
• Update your website to a secure https:// website 
• Hire someone to monitor your network
• Backup your data, but keep only what you need
• Encrypt data before sending it

You may need to hire an expert to update your company’s data protection plan. 

#3) Keep Software Up to Date 

Nobody likes taking the time to update software, but those patches are vital to maintaining your security. Updates almost always include patches that close hacker loopholes. 

Instruct your employees to take the time when the alert shows up, even if it interrupts their work day. 

#4) Perform Regular Audits 

Schedule annual security audits to ensure that your sensitive information is being protected to the best of your ability. An audit can help your company identify system vulnerabilities and strengthen security protocols. 

#5) Destroy Data Properly

Destroying hard drives and paper copies of sensitive data is the best way to ensure it stays out of criminal hands. Many criminals simply grab what they need right out of the garbage.

Data Shredding Services offers the most comprehensive hard drive destruction on the market. 

We also offer mobile or scheduled shredding services, which will allow you to place receptacles in your office. Employees dump the documents into a locked container. We pick up the container on a regular schedule and destroy everything inside past reconstruction.

In both cases, you get the highest degree of protection against data theft, and we provide you with a Certificate of Destruction that you can use to help defend yourself should a legal case arise in the future. 

Get Help Today

Request a quote for our shredding services. We will gladly customize a solution designed to defend your company from hackers, scammers, and data salesmen. 

Don’t become the next big data breach headline.  Call Data Shredding Services of Houston today.

The post 5 Ways to Prevent a Data Breach | Data Shredding Services appeared first on Shredding Houston.