Security Nightmares Can be
Caused by Unsecured Paper Trails
Paper is the medium through
which a great deal of information is made
available whether it is through the generation
of utility bills or discarded paper, creating a
paper trail. These are adequate to provide
identity thieves with the necessary data to
assume your identity or even be one of your
employees.
Sadly, identity thefts are just
the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the
issue of paper trails. A snowstorm of problems
is unleashed when paper with any kind of
information falls into the wrong hands.
The reason Enron is
synonymous with paper shredders is because they
knew they had to cover up their duplicity by
shredding any documentation that could leave a
paper trail. These would lead to
the proof of the crimes they were perpetrating
against their employees and their company.
Although the action of shredding is not to be
condoned, it brings out an important fact that
paper is both a very powerful tool as well as a
weapon in this age of information.
While there is no doubt that
paper is the most effective and powerful means
of conveying information to a wide segment of
the population through books, magazines and
reports, it is also the easiest and most
damning evidence available of crimes
committed. Additionally, it is a
storehouse of detailed information about a
particular individual.
The computer is undoubtedly a
necessity for most individuals. While it is
acceptable to print out the information, it is
equally important to take adequate steps to
ensure that the confidential or delicate
information is not left lying about or
discarded in the waste bin. People with the
wrong intentions can easily retrieve it for
their own use. When printed, it should be
destroyed after it is used. It is our
responsibility to shred papers to keep
sensitive information out of the hands of
people with criminal intentions or who intend
to abuse it.
It is in the best interests of
firms to assess the capacity of their storage
space and the ability to store the volumes of
paper generated on a daily basis. In addition,
there will have to be a process by which it is
either removed or destroyed to make room for
the latest printed items. A system will have to
be worked out by which the material that has to
be saved forever for reasons of possible legal
implications, can be saved on a hard disk of
the computer or backed up and stored at a
different location.
To solve the issue ongoing
paper management, either a shredding machine
will have to be installed or the services of a
shredding firm will have to be enlisted.
Many people don't stop and
think before they dispose of their bill
statements. These documents contain your
most sensitive information and can easily be
used by criminals. Don't create a
security nightmare for you and your
family. Invest in a good paper shredder
that will make it impossible for criminals to
use the information if they happen to obtain
it.
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