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The 5 Biggest Corporate Data Security Threats
by Arman Sadeghi, Founder & CEO, All Green Recycling
Retail giant Target was robbed of 70 million credit card numbers, and the British Ministry of
Justice was fined over $230,000 for leaked prison records on a stolen portable hard drive...
...so how will you protect against a corporate data security breach?
Amend your company's corporate data security policy and enhance your cyber security against
these 5 costly data security threats.
1. Decommissioning IT Equipment Without Proper Hard Drive Destruction
When decommissioning your computers, laptops, and network equipment, you MUST correctly
undertake hard drive destruction and ensure proper data destruction immediately. Failure to do
so leaves you exposed to serious fines.
How serious?
In 2013, the British Information Commissioner’s Office served a £180,000 ($230,000 USD)
penalty on the Ministry of Justice after a lost unencrypted hard drive leaked confidential
information of 2,935 prisoners.
How can your company prevent easy picking such as this from leaking data and exposing you
and your company to these hefty fines?
If you think you can simply use data destruction software in-house as a viable solution, think
again.
The most effective (and permanent) way to dispose of secure data on your hard drives is to
physically damage them beyond repair.
Certified hard drive shredding offers a convenient, mechanical disposal solution that companies
with large numbers of IT assets can use.
2. Poor Password Policies That Allow Easy Access
The password still remains the primary method of user authentication for IT systems, which
means they form your first line of defense against corporate data security hackers.
A strong, secure password should follow these password best practices:
● At least 8 characters long.
● Should not contain any personal information—specifically your real name, user name, or
even your company name.
● Be unique from other passwords.
● Should not contain any word spelled completely.
35 Cyber Warnings E-Magazine – July 2017 Edition
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