Information disposal guide

Press

In light of the recent rise in cases of identity fraud, leading ID theft assistance company red24 has produced the following guide of options available to businesses and individuals looking for effective ways to dispose of information.

Each day in the UK, thousands of individuals and organisations are targeted by ID theft, with fraudsters looking to steal information such as:

• Names and addresses
• Bank account details
• Telephone numbers
• Product information
• Customer details
• Technical specifications
• Chemical and biological data

• Shredding – Probably the most widely used method of document disposal. Ideally, a cross-cutting shredder should be used to ensure that no two adjacent characters are legible.

• Incineration – Arguably the most effective way of destroying sensitive information; this not only applies to paper but also to data stored on disks, magnetic and optical media.

• Pulping – Pulping reduces waste to a fibrous state and is a useful means of disposing of paper and card waste. However, it is not foolproof, as some pulping machines simply rip the paper into large pieces and turn it into papier-maché. This means that it may still be possible to retrieve information, as the ink used in modern laser printers and photocopiers does not run when wet. Pulping is, however, the most environmentally-friendly means of information disposal.

• When using contractors, check their credentials and ensure their equipment is up to standard.

• Ensure the integrity of staff. There is no point having data disposal procedures in place if the documents are at risk from unscrupulous employees. For this reason, many organisations make data disposal the responsibility of security staff, rather than facilities management.