Businesses observe different trends when it comes to understanding information security. The multiple mechanisms and policies adopted by them reflect their sincerity and improvement in security practices. Reports and surveys reveal valuable insights on information security policies and procedures in both, small businesses and large businesses in different parts of the world such as the USA, UK, Canada, Germany, Australia, Middle East nations, Asia, and more. The data and records are eminent for organizations to improve their essential areas of development and prioritization of information security.
Along with insights, expert advice, and legal support are essential for making things easier for the head executives. Most of the attention is needed to counter frauds, information leakage risks, physical thefts, and long with hardware destruction. Companies need to comply with privacy regulations and modify their company policies accordingly. Most reports suggest that security practices help in building a reputation, positive growth, and developing friendly relations with the customers.

Table of Contents

Overview

Information security breaches and data protection are consistently the most dominant priorities across the globe. Many notable organizations have put extra efforts into ensuring that the data is completely secure from any sources of theft. Big companies that have failed to maintain their data security have been shut down. It can be a lesson for thousands of firms that poorly manage their documents and pose security threats to information. As the risk of information security is increasing, organizations respond on how they have increased investment in policies and ensured training to every employee. Most developed nations such- as the USA and Canada are aware of the legal requirements and policies. However, they still lag in fulfilling all the requirements. It has also been observed that there is a huge gap between small and large businesses regarding compliance.

Middle East countries such as UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Gulf countries are struggling to establish effective security policies in their firms. With the rising amount of data and its processing, control and protection can be difficult. Therefore, every firm must follow particular strategies and guidelines to meet the legislations of the state. Companies should be aware of the laws in their estate and their requirements. They should also seek legal advice and suggestions from experts regarding information security. The training of employees and regular seminars on the importance of data protection is essential. All these points are in focus, and the upcoming section comprises the details on the same.

Industry Situation

According to annual surveys conducted by a shredding company, 63% of American C-suite executives agreed that they have protocols for proper storage and disposal of private data. Around 65% of the Canadian C-suite executives agree that they have characteristic storage and disposal protocols for documents. Nearly 46% of small business owners in America have protocols while only 47% of small business owners in Canada have policies in place.

Around 70% of large businesses in the US securely store their documents before disposal, while only 40% of small businesses followed the protocol. In Canada, large businesses, around 73% securely store documents while only 39% of small businesses securely store their documents before disposal. There was a huge gap between the cybersecurity policies in small and large businesses. Only 85% of American large businesses had cybersecurity policies whereas, only 37% of small businesses had cybersecurity policies. The same trend was observed in Canadian businesses where 82% of large businesses had policies while only 31% of small businesses adopted the policies on cybersecurity.

There are huge observable differences between large and small organizations in the US and Canada. The gap in security policies poses a threat to the organizations. To improve security policies and procedures, small businesses have to put in great effort and commitment. They lag behind the larger businesses with higher chances of theft and fraud.

The data breach incidents are higher in Middle East countries such as Dubai, UAE, and more due to ineffective implementation of policies. The less training of employees and unawareness leads to human error. The third-party interventions and physical types of electronic data are another added burden. Gulf countries invest less time and money in strengthening the security channels. As a result, they are the softest targets for data breaches. The penalty amount and loss in reputation are bound to come with every single data breach.

The present situation is alarming for every business owner since the legislation is modified with every passing year. The unawareness among the owners can cause serious damage and reputational loss in case of a data breach incident. The physical safety of the documents and digital data is as important as the cybersecurity of different organization departments.

Security Policies For Businesses

Despite the increase of dependence on digital technology and electronic machines, most organizations are still dependent on paperwork. The average office utilizes 10,000 sheets each year which means, 4,000,000 tonnes of paper across the US companies. These stats are even higher for the entire world organizations. Paper remains and shall continue to remain the most needed commodity in workspaces. There are plenty of printers, fax machines, photocopiers, and other similar devices in the office that are used to process documents. Each of these machines has a hard drive that stores private data during the process. The data remains in the hard drive until it is destroyed into tiny pieces of remains. Also, most of the companies have their laptops and desktops holding private data.

On updating the computer systems, the hardware and office machinery are also changed. It adds issues regarding information technology. Companies pay very little attention to the future of the discarded devices. No precautions or little precaution is adopted while disposing of these devices. Many times, confidential information is stored in them that is leaked to the third party which is responsible for their destruction. Reports suggest that only 37% of the US businesses never disposed of their hard drives and hardware devices containing private information. It implies that the rest of the businesses have disposed of their personal data containing devices with ignorance.

Companies must get committed to data protection, cybersecurity as well as physical security. They must lay down comprehensive policies that aim at protecting sensitive data in different forms, their collection, and storage. One way to ensure that the data is protected is to remove or destroy the hard drive before throwing the hardware away. It must be recycled or sold to authentic sources that employ proper disposal and destruction of electronic data storage devices. The confidential information must remain safe and private while the company also remains compliant with laws and legislations regarding information security.

There are some special workplace guidelines that every business must adapt to ensure the safeguarding of hard drives. Given below are the three simple magic steps that would save you from legal traps.

  • Regularly conduct cleaning and organization of the storage facilities to get rid of stockpiling and segregation of different types of hard drives
  • Safe and secure destruction of unwanted hard drives seeking help from a third party that follows regulations and has secured a chain of custody. The third-party shall provide you peace of mind and also ensure that the data is kept out of the reach of infiltrators.
  • And lastly regular audits and assessments of organization information security policies, modifications of the existing policies, and incorporation of new and emerging electronic media.

What type of electronic media should be destroyed?

  • Get rid of laptops, desktops, servers, copiers existing in your workplace with very old hard drives and unwanted memories
  • Destroy the DLT, mini cartridges, magnetic tapes with private data
  • The floppy disks, zip disks, CDs, DVDs, Blu-ray, and HD DVD must be destroyed in a safe environment in the presence of the data protection officer.

It is also time for businesses to ponder on information security as a full-fledged plan for ensuring the protection of client data. By neglecting the precautions and protocols, organizations invite risks and threats.

Best Business Practices

Organizations are prone to risks of fraud when the employees make small mistakes. The unaware workers do not understand the procedures for management and destruction of private information. As the businesses have gradually understood that the training of employees affects their security, more and more training has started in organizations.

However, there is a slight change in the training commitment in the small businesses. They tend to focus less on activating the employees about the document management systems. It is critical for every business to realize that information security should be the topmost priority and regular examinations are necessary to enhance security. To protect themselves, businesses must start following these simple guidelines and practices within their organizations.

Setting Up Clear Security Policies

It is not enough to inform the employees that confidential data must be protected. They need to know what exactly protection and management mean. They should have a clear idea of what type of data they work upon, how to categorize them and understand them. They must understand the categories well and a System to manage those data. This can be done by implementing formal security policy guidelines, training the employees, and warning them about the strictness of the policies. Regular information security audits must be conducted to review the organization's information security policies and its incorporation of new electronic media.

Protect Every Single Employee

One of the most critical conditions for a successful business is the boundless trust between the workers, supervisors, managers, executives, and more. It is also true that employees commit mistakes that can cost the company heavily. As the head of the organization, it is your responsibility to make it easier for the people. Prioritize data protection and information security. You can start by demonstrating a commitment to protection from the top-level. For instance, managers and executives can behave in a manner to reflect that information security is critical and taking it sincerely is the most central task. No one within the organization is above the company policies.

Another way is to dispose of information securely. Try to reduce the risk by carefully dealing with the paper documents on desks and printing sites. The shredding policy and clean desk policy works like magic in every organization. It teaches the simple value of organization and cleanliness while also enforcing information security simultaneously. All the public gathering spaces such as cafeterias, printing areas, sitting areas, and more should be security encoded. Employees working from home should use a secure VPN for accessing documents. Encryption in the smartphones of the employees must be there for an incident of physical theft. Access to online accounts must be limited. Strong passwords and specific users must have the authenticity to access.

Destruction And Security

The most followed and successful protocol is to destroy the unwanted devices and materials lying in the office. Use locked storage rooms and cabinets to store the no longer needed documents. At regular gaps destroy them in a secure environment. Place locked containers near the most visited area on the office and get rid of the traditional dustbins and recycling bins for disposing of private data. Electronic devices such as- computers and laptops should not be overlooked. Physical destruction of hard drives can only ensure a hundred percent data destruction. Regular cleaning and setting up of storage facilities to avoid stockpiling is ready to go formula. Limit the access and the number of employees to the different data types. Choose the head for controlling and assessing the data transfer in the organization. Never be rigid to welcome any changes. Adopt and adapt according to the needs of the hour. The intrinsic motive shall remain to ensure data protection at every expense. Destroy all the documents and hard drives by seeking professional help from third-party providers, the shredding companies with experience in the destruction field.

Experts Opinions

Experts on data security are the best people to suggest and advise the business owners regarding data protection issues, compliance initiatives, and data governance. According to experts, the last two decades have observed privacy as a personal issue more than a legal issue. Around 15 years ago, privacy was just a checklist but, now, the terms have changed. Privacy is no more a fancy word for the clients but has some really deep meanings and elements. It means that if the company provides value, or are they having information security policies in place, and if there is sufficient privacy governance. If any of the three components is missing, then the overall trust in the practices of the organizations declines. Regardless of the number of issues handled by the organizations, the biggest challenge is to address the issues of every single client with respect. This can only be achieved by appropriate implementation of data governance, control, and processing.

Privacy laws have changed over the years and this has affected the companies dramatically. Once the organizations realized that data control and management are critical, they have taken specific steps to maintain and enhance the trust. It has led to enhanced privacy and protection of data.
However, there are some challenges faced by the businesses due to the intense amount of data availability. The rapid and bulk transactions of data have led to cybersecurity threats. The sophistication and advancements have led to more challenges for the companies. Privacy remains a huge problem for handling relations with the public and maintaining trust. Organizations must focus on managing complex data as well as increasing complexity in their information technology ecosystem.

There are multiple risks that businesses face while complying with privacy laws and regulations. There are legal and ethical challenges that must be faced with confidence. Every day the increase in legal liability and misuse of data is worrying the companies. There are regulatory bodies and the environment concerned about the data. There is an increase in ethical concerns about the usage of client data.

Organizations with maturity have effective privacy in their offices and responsible heads for keeping up-to-date information regarding privacy matters. The appointed head seeks guidance and help from other organizations and services to strengthen the privacy of information. There are private organizations that provide training and resources for the other organizations. Based on the current situation, privacy legislation is expected to become stricter and more regulated. Heavy penalties and legal proceedings can be imposed on guilty parties.

Understanding Privacy Laws

As the threats of information security are increasing, every government is consistently adapting and revising new data protection laws with strictness. With so much to follow, organizations struggle enormously to meet the requirements on the legal level, specifically in the healthcare, financial, hospitality, And other similar huge customer-based sectors. The violation of federal and state privacy laws can result in severe consequences and a significant amount of fines.

To eliminate the risks of legal proceedings, the industries must understand the role of information security policies and procedures. The business leaders must first understand the legal requirements concerning the storage and secure disposal of private data. Here is a list of the laws adopted in the USA in different business sectors along with the European law and Dubai UAE privacy laws.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) introduced by the European Union is a well-devised law for privacy protection. GDPR law applies to all the companies that deals with the personal data of European citizens, despite the physical location of the firm in the world. The process, storage, usage of personal data should be done appropriately and protected at any cost. Failing to comply with GDPR can lead to a penalty equivalent to 2% or 4% of the global annual turnover of your company.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) enacted by the US government protects the rights of the patient's health information. It ensures that the personal details of patients, their health status, financial status, medication slips, invoices, and similar information are secured by the health institutions. Failing to comply with this law can cause extreme reputational damages along with loss of company assets.

The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) enacted by the Canada legislation protects the rights of individuals. It allows individuals to give consent when their data is collected, used, or disclosed to any other party. The information should not be disclosed for illegal purposes. Hence, the data must be protected and safeguarded.

Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA) law helps in reducing the risk of identity theft. It regulates consumer financial account information. It prevents data breaches in bank accounts, credit details, and more. Failing to comply with this rule can result in serious consequences such as Reputational loss and hefty penalty on financial institutions like banks.

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) helps in protecting investors from fraudulent accounting activities by reputational corporations. It also includes financial disclosure requirements. This law protects the rights of investors in a very efficient way. Companies found guilty would not be spared under this law.

The USA Patriot Act is an effective action to protect the nation from acts of terrorism. The law is helpful for government agencies to regulate, detect, and prevent possible malicious activities within the boundaries of the country.

The Identity Theft and Penalty Enhancement Act is a very strict action for criminals who steal identities for illegal purposes. A minimum of five years in prison and cash penalties for committing such an offensive crime.

Dubai and UAE organizations have started to adopt measures to confiscate the increasing rate of data breaches. The state has very recently devised privacy laws to be complied with by every organization in Dubai-UAE. These laws are expected to be regulated to protect the rights of the consumers and benefit them.

Dubai, UAE also follows particular data privacy guidelines. The DIFC and data protection regulations are the head in charge of maintaining data security. The 2020 law of DIFC is very similar to the European GDPR. The law holds the organizations accountable for the leak of information or data breaches within the organization. The data protection officer, DPO, is appointed for keeping an eye on the document processing and control. All the organizations, employees, representatives, and individuals are responsible for abiding by the law.

How Endoshred Protect You?

EndoShred can be your third-party security partner since we meet every challenge that any organization can face with the growing amount of private data. With the latest and advanced information security services we ensure to protect your documents, build trust in your customers, and enhance your business.

We at EndoShred provide all the possible solutions for safeguarding the data, enhancing the reputation, and connecting more customers to your company. Partner with us to experience the management of confidential documents in simple and easy ways.

What Do We Provide?

  • Destruction of electronic devices like hard drives, compact discs, memory sticks, and other material having confidential data
  • Shredding of private information containing documents into tiny bits in a secure environment

How We Assist in Compliance With Privacy Laws?

When you decide to partner with us, you make the best decision. The methodology adopted by us is completely regulated according to the privacy laws.

  • We provide highly secured locker consoles for depositing confidential documents.
  • The trained professionals shred the confidential files in your organization in the securest way.
  • A certificate that guarantees 100% safe destruction is provided at the end of the process.
  • Anyone from the office who is reliable is welcome to watch the process happening on-site.

Benefits of partnering with us

  • Get rid of unwanted confidential files in the most secure manner.
  • Get awarded annually for following environment-friendly guidelines.
  • Save yourself from the mess of legal proceedings.

Why Choose Us?

Well trained officers for shredding

We have considerable experience of shredding for the companies in UAE. We are leading in this industry of information security due to the expertise we offer. The trained and well-informed officers execute the task of shredding documents on the spot/office premises. They are well-uninformed and know their business quite well. They shall collect the locked consoles and carry them towards the shredding truck. The entire process is done in a secretive way. You are welcome to watch the destruction happening.

All-rounder services

For us, it doesn’t matter if you are a small scale or a larger scale business. We consider document security as the primary concern. Any document or data that needs shredding, would be done by us with utmost dedication and sincerity. We have won the trust of hundreds of customers across the nation. The continued excellence in services that we provide makes us unique from the rest of the shredding companies.

Customer-friendly experience

We are 100% committed to serving you in the best possible ways. Our work is serious while our staff remains friendly at the same time. We take your permission and time to execute the processes of shedding. Our customers have had a very pleasant experience in the past. Due to the friendly behavior of our workers, the working environment becomes friendly too.

Ease in customization

We offer customers the services they wish to avail. There is a wide choice between the services that we provide. You can get rid of the documents, get rid of the electronic devices or the hard disk containing confidential data in very simple steps. Choose any of the shredding methods according to the data you wish to get rid of.

Schedule the shredding

We are just a call away. You can choose any date and any time as per your convenience and schedule. We send the shredding trucks to the workplace whenever required. The volunteers along the truck are available as per your need. You can book the date and time whenever you feel the need to get rid of the confidential trash.

Sources:

All of the statistics provided (unless otherwise stated) are from the Shred-it 2015

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