Tips for Combating Information Security Risks

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Is your information secure? With the increase of digital information and more employees working from home, data breaches are higher than ever. Combat information security risks with these tips.

Top Risks to Information Security

While the pandemic seems to be waning, the changes to the traditional office setup continue. Many businesses have not developed a comprehensive plan for  “return to work” and many employees continue to push for flexible and hybrid work options. With the expansion of remote work and “connect from anywhere” networks, has come an exponential growth in cybercrime and attacks. 

Digital Records

According to Security Magazine, almost a third of breaches in 2020 incorporated social engineering techniques, 90% of which were phishing attacks. This included phishing emails, scareware, quid pro quo, and more. Ransomware is the third most popular type of malware used in data breaches. “The overall sum of ransom demands have reached $1.4 billion in 2020”. Other major cybersecurity risks include DDoS attacks, third-party software, and cloud computing vulnerabilities.

A significant ransomware attack in 2021 was the attack of the Colonial Pipeline

Making sure your organization is educated about easy ways to stop cybercrime is important. This can be anything from creating unique passwords for different accounts to avoiding links in messages from unknown senders. According to Statista, there were more data breaches in the first half of 2020 than in the entirety of 2012. 

Ransomware is the third most popular type of malware used in data breaches.
“The overall sum of ransom demands have reached $1.4 billion in 2020.”

Hard Copy Information

In addition to the Federal Trade Commission’s Disposal Rule, more than 35 states have enacted data disposal laws that require the proper destruction of documents including personal information. This generally includes any information, such as a name, address, telephone number, email address, Social Security number, or other data, that can be used to identify an individual person. 

Improper storage and destruction of hard copy records create many risks to information security. For example, it was reported that a third-party vendor, which was tasked with record storage and disposal for a number of healthcare organizations had improperly disposed of patient files. One organization, Elkhart Emergency Physicians was included in this massive security incident.  

Hard copy documents come with their own risks. It is imperative that confidential documents are stored and destroyed properly to ensure the protection of information. At Augusta Data Storage, our professional document shredding services establish a chain of custody and provide certificates of destruction, including which documents were shredded and when. This ensures that documents are not skipped over or misplaced.

What You Need to Know About Information Security

Secure records storage is key to keeping your information safe and secure. At Augusta Data Storage, we offer the most advanced security systems and storage techniques available in the marketplace. Our facilities are electronically monitored to prevent unauthorized access and are equipped with the most advanced fire, smoke, and hazard warning systems.

Hard Copy Information

When keeping paper records in your office, it is especially important to monitor your record security policies. Limiting access, locking your storage space, and tracking chain of custody are 3 things to start with when establishing your records storage policies. 

If your office is equipped to handle in-office storage, consider these when organizing your important documents. If you are looking to move records storage off-site, Augusta Data Storage has secure warehouse space to store your physical paper records.

Making the Transition from Paper to Digital Records

Managing large volumes of records while maintaining compliance and security may become more difficult, and expensive, as your records grow. Digital document conversion can reduce cost, increase efficiency, and improve security for your business. Read more for ‘Everything You Need to Know About Digital Document Services’

Digital Records

Once you make the move from hardcopy to digital records, it’s important to take the appropriate steps to protect that information.

According to ZD Net, 20% of all cybersecurity incidents in 2020 were due to remote workers and inadequate passwords and security. In 2019, there were 1,473 data breaches in the United States with over 164 million sensitive records exposed according to Statista

Most data security breaches are internal jobs, whether intentional or accidental. Read more about how to detect insider threats.

How Does Remote Working Affect Information Security?

While working from home, it is important to dictate the tools and procedures for an organization to follow to avoid being targeted digitally. According to Help Net Security, “In 2020, 28% of organizations were regularly utilizing an operating system with a known security vulnerability.” Having systems and procedures in place can help avoid a situation where your information is compromised. Read more about data breaches in 2020

Working remotely can also mean the accumulation of paper records, especially as people are generating and using those documents OUTSIDE of the office. Having a procedure for managing and properly disposing of paper records is important. If you’re considering other options, converting paper documents into digital data that you can manage and oversee remotely is a great option, just remember to take the appropriate steps to backup and secure that information, regularly. When updating your document retention policies, it’s important to ensure your policies reflect current work conditions. 

How Can Augusta Data Storage Help with Information Security?

For over 25 years, Augusta Data Storage has been a leading, local provider of secure records management services in the Augusta, GA area. Our services offer restricted access entry and facility monitoring, NARA and NAID compliant solutions, and background checked personnel. For more information about our NAID-AAA Certification and learn more about NAID read here.

Not sure if off-site storage is right for your business? Read more about the many services Augusta Data Storage offers for the secure storage and retrieval of paper and digital files.

For any additional questions concerning our services and processes, and for your free quote, contact us today!