Are you concerned about unsafe document disposal practices in your company?
If not, you probably should be. Read on to find out why data security is so important to your business and customers, and how level 6 shredding can help you keep everyone safe.
What is level 6 shredding?
Level 6 shredding is a particular rank of security for secure paper shredders. More accurately called level P-6 (P standing for paper, the type of material level 6 shredding applies to), it's one of seven ranks which defines a different level of shredding effectiveness. This ranges from level P-1 (the least effective and secure paper shredding level) to level P-7 (the most effective and secure, used by the NSA and the Department of Defense).
As the second most secure rank for industrial shredding machines, level 6 shredding is suitable for government agencies, national security organizations, and all companies that handle highly sensitive information.
How do the different levels of paper shredders work?
All paper shredders work by cutting documents into strips, pieces, or shreds. Levels 1 and 2 produce strips that are one-half and one-quarter inch wide, respectively. The problem with shredders under level P-4 is that sensitive information is still fairly legible, even on strips that are less than a quarter-inch wide. This means that a particularly ambitious criminal or corporate spy would have a fairly easy time piecing shredded documents back together, or at least assembling enough information to make a dangerously close guess.
Level P-4 shredding is where cross-cut technology is employed to more effectively destroy documents. But even these aren't safe enough for the government. For federal information or concerned businesses, level 6 shredding is essential to keep important information confidential.
Below are some major reasons why your business should use level 6 shredding to protect sensitive information.
Why is level 6 shredding so important?
Proper document disposal is an incredibly important part of doing business. Both federal and state laws require organizations to dispose of their data in ways that prevent would-be identity thieves from taking advantage of people's information. Additionally, businesses that care about keeping their trade information secret need to prevent corporate spies from finding information that can be used against them.
And it isn't just businesses and the government who are concerned: consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the possibilities for identity theft. In fact, 16.7 million people became victims of identity fraud in 2017 alone. Failing to properly dispose of private information could cost your organization enormous amounts of time and money -- not to mention your public reputation, which often can't be mended after a data breach.
What are some tips to avoid a data breach?
To keep your business and your customers protected, consider putting the following tips into practice across your company:
- Develop a culture of security by training your employees to understand the importance of data security.
- Shred all unneeded documents on a regular basis. Some companies have a selective shredding policy instead of a shred-all policy. To avoid any possible data threat, you should shred all discarded documents.
- Shred discarded paper using either industrial high security shredders or a NAID AAA Certified shredding service.
- In addition to following a smart paper shredding policy with level 6 shredding, make sure your electronic data is securely protected. Use secure, hard-to-guess passwords and encryption, and dispose of hard drives with the same level of care as you have for your paper waste.
- Create corporate-wide policies, procedures, and protocols for securely disposing of documents and information.
- Remember to focus on prevention rather than cures. Instead of dealing with identity fraud when it happens, take steps now to make sure it doesn't occur in the first place.
Identity fraud and corporate espionage are very real threats. But by becoming aware of the risks and responding to them properly, your business and customers will have much less to fear. Take steps today towards a more secure tomorrow by contacting Capital Shredder Corp.
