Working from Home? Document Security Still Matters.
As with any shift in workplace processes, your security programs must adapt to address new risks and threats that arise as a result of changing the way your day-to-day operations look. While many businesses operate from home, it’s still important to maintain best practices for the security and integrity of the information you manage.
Many businesses maintain clean desk policies, operate secure document collection bins and have regular shredding services to ensure they keep a trackable chain of custody for any hard-copy information that is generated as a result of daily operations. Now that workers have shifted to remote working, implementing those security measures is increasingly hard.
For many workers who are used to filing and making notes on hardcopy reports, it might be tempting to print emails, working files and other records while you’re working from home and just toss them in your garbage can at the end of the day.
It’s important to remember that paper records still pose a large threat for data breaches and, even though you are operating remotely, your company is still liable for maintaining the integrity of the information they manage. Here are a few things you can do while working from home to keep information safe.
Print Less
The easiest way to limit security risks of paper records is to simply create less of them. If possible, work as much with digital records on a secure device or restricted access server. The less hardcopy information you can create, the better.
DO NOT Toss Papers in Your Trash Can
The same rules should apply at home as in the office. If you are printing and handling personally identifiable information or other proprietary data, you wouldn’t simply toss them in the trash at work, and you shouldn’t do it at home either.
File Your Records, Even the Trash
If you’re already managing paper records at home, you likely have a filing system. Consider making a file called “For Destruction” and placing any documents you don’t need to save or archive into that file so that you can securely destroy them at a later date.
Securely Store Items for Destruction Later
Collect records in a secure location and either shred them at home, store them until you can deposit them into your company’s secure shred bins for service OR you are able to drop them at Augusta Data Storage to take advantage of our drop off secure shredding services.
While many businesses are in transition and trying their best to adapt to the new remote working setup, it’s important to keep information security top of mind. Even though people are not coming in and out of your home the way they might in an office, maintaining information security should still be top of mind for all employees.