Copier hard drives…is your copied data secure?

Protecting the identity of a business is among the top priorities for any business owner and most institute a business records management program to protect data and minimize the risk of identity theft. But have you considered other electronic devices in your office that could pose just as much of a risk to identity theft as tossing business records in the trash?

Most copy machines contain a built-in hard drive that records information by creating an image of every document copied. Implementing a proactive security strategy is crucial to preventing unwanted access to confidential information on a copy machine. Consider the following:

• Consult your IT department. Before purchasing a copy machine, consult with your IT department on securing data stored on copy machine hard drives.
• Use passwords. Similar to passwords for your computer, create a password for the office copy machine as an added safety measure. Change your passwords frequently.
• Destroy copy machine hard drives properly. If you donate, recycle or throw away an old copy machine, be sure to take the proper precautions to protect the information still on the hard drive. Speak with an area records management company that specializes in hard drive destruction.

Since copy machines are relatively simple to operate, they can be fairly easy for identity thieves to steal information from the hard drives. By adding an information security component to your business records management plan, you can better safeguard the information you copy on a daily basis.