Small Businesses sloppiness could result in corporate ID fraud

By abigail_lovell | October 12, 2009 | 1 Comment 

abigail_lovell

Small businesses are being warned of the dangers posed by irresponsible disposal of sensitive materials. A survey, commissioned by Fellowes launched to coincide with National Identity Fraud Prevention Week highlighted that 79 percent of businesses are risking corporate identity fraud by not destroying sensitive material they throw away or recycle.

And it’s not just hard copy material that is putting small businesses at risk. Data stored on computers and PDA’s can also leave SMBs vulnerable to corporate ID fraud if IT security is not up to scratch. A recent survey from Symantec found one in four SMBs have suffered security breaches, with 13 percent losing money as a result. 

People tend to associate ID fraud as a risk to themselves as individuals, but it can impact businesses, and SMBs are most at risk. Negating this risk needn’t be a daunting task, in many cases simple processes like  regularly updating security software, firewalls and passwords is enough and doesn’t require deep technical knowledge or dedicated IT staff. However, it’s imperative these organisations understand how to take simple steps to protect themselves and limit any potential harm.

 Recommended steps for SMB’s:

  • Put in place a security solution that is designed for businesses and will keep your critical information safe wherever it is used or stored (laptops, desktops, mobile devices, servers, in email, over the network, and in storage devices)
  • Ensure you have effective and accurate anti-spam protection. There was a 192 percent increase in spam across the internet from 119.6 billion messages in 2007 to 349.6 billion in 2008 and tricksters are getting more creative
  • Stay informed: Several companies publish reports that help define the threat landscape for SMBs.
  • Have good reliable backup in place, and keep a spare copy in a secure place away from the office.

Abigail Lovell

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One Response to “Small Businesses sloppiness could result in corporate ID fraud”

  1. James McKey on October 12th, 2009

    Don’t forget that encrypting backup tapes and/or external hard drive backups is equally important. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard in the news of tapes falling into the wrong hands, which wouldn’t matter so much if it was properly encrypted.

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