As individuals, security is always at the top of my mind, securing our family, assets and things we treasure. When we leave home for work in the morning, we all take steps to protect it and the contents from unauthorized access, damage and theft (e.g. turning off the lights, locking the doors and setting the alarm). This same principle should and must be applied to information from an individual and a corporate perspective. Information is an asset and steps must be put in place to protect it. If left unprotected, information can be accessed by anyone with severe consequences.
When information is not adequately protected, it may be compromised and this is known as an information or security breach. The consequences of an information breach are severe. For businesses, a breach usually entails huge financial penalties, expensive law suits, loss of reputation and business. Recovering from information breaches can take years and the costs are huge.
Burning old/unwanted documents is free but it is really free if only you consider your time, environmental impact, and the consequences of the documents falling into the wrong hands…Do the right thing, hire a shredding professional to handle your documents, it is a small price to pay for your peace of mind!
