Companies need to secure anything that transmits sensitive information, including devices and paper. Includes tips for keeping your company’s physical media and paper safe. Learn more about this subject on the FTC’s website: https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/start-security-guide-business ******************************************** Transcript: [MUSIC PLAYING] When it comes to data protection, software, networks, and the cloud are only part of the story. Companies need to secure anything containing or transmitting sensitive information, including hard drives, flash drives, laptops, routers, data collection equipment, and paper documents. The Start With Security video series and the resources at business.ftc.gov offer tips for keeping all of your hardware and papers safe. Here’s an easy one– don’t store boxes of old company records in a garage, or keep faxes with customer data in open areas. Sounds like common sense, but both scenarios we’re subjects of FTC cases. Store any materials containing sensitive information in secure places, and protect them against tampering and theft. Carefully dispose of sensitive information. The FTC brought a case against a large pharmacy for tossing customers’ insurance documents, pill bottles, and prescription order information into dumpsters. Safe disposal practices would’ve made a difference. Burn, shred, pulverized, wipe it. Establish policies for protecting devices and files while off site or in transit too. In another FTC, case 20 million pieces of information suddenly became vulnerable when a laptop was stolen from a car. As a precaution, limit the instances when employees need to travel with devices containing sensitive data. When there is a legitimate business need, require employees to keep computer devices and files out of sight and locked up when not in use. And if employees are shipping files, drives, or disks, make sure the shipping method includes tracking. Encrypting data on portable media provides additional protection. Protect all the materials that hold your data. Know where they are at all times. Set policies for data collection, storage, and transport. Communicate them clearly, and don’t let your trash, paper or electronic, become someone else’s treasure. For more useful tips about protecting hardware and paper, and building a culture of data security in your business, visit ftc.gov/startwithsecurity. ******************************************** Comment Moderation Policy: We welcome your comments and thoughts about the information on this page. If you do have something to say, please be courteous and respectful to other commenters. We won’t routinely review or edit any comments before they are posted, but we will delete any comments that: 1) contain spam or are off-topic 2) use vulgar language or offensive terms that target specific groups or contain personal attacks 3) are sales pitches, promotions, urls or links to commercial sites 4) spread clearly misleading or false information or 5) include personal information, like home addresses