Data privacy is increasingly important these days. Shredding is your best protection against one of the most dangerous plagues of modern society, identity theft. This crime is growing at a phenomenal rate. Every campus, every college, every division, and every department has sensitive data, whether it be employee profiles, student data, credit card numbers, bank account numbers, or a dozen other items.
Using software such as Identity Finder to scan your computer for potentially sensitive data and then using that same tool to remediate that data is one of the easiest and quickest ways to maintain your digital footprint or minimal risk posture. “If you don’t need it, shred it.”, is a simple rule to follow. This holds true for paper product as well.
Your data is vulnerable to misuse the moment it is no longer carefully monitored and protected. Unwanted sensitive information should be stored in a protected container until it can be properly disposed. Whether physical or electronic, if you cannot shred it immediately, then store it safely. Try where possible to prevent the buildup of sensitive data; some records are required by law to be kept safe for a number of years. Ensure you know the rules about the data you manage. Each campus has a Record Administrator you can visit to learn more about proper data retention. As a starting point feel free to utilize the State’s record retention guidelines.
The first thing anyone should do before shredding data is make sure it’s not the original copy, or if it is, whether or not it’s still necessary to retain that copy for business purposes. That’s easy enough if you created that copy. If you didn’t, leave it for the data owner to manage.
For example, when sharing an email folder, or shared network drive, the rules of ownership apply. Do not damage or remove someone else’s property without permission. If using Identity Finder, you can click on ignore a file, and that file is ignored in your local profile. Another person scanning a shared drive will be prompted to review the same files, even those you have ignored So, let the owner manage it appropriately. The flags to ignore are stored in your profile, which is why you have to sign into your profile to have those flags retained. If you don’t log in, you will be scanning every file all the time. It takes much longer to use IF that way.
If you are retiring a computer or just trading up, make sure the data on your computer is permanently removed or sanitized. Criminals can get their hands on data even on workgroup printers and photocopiers and revive that data, stealing your identity, or secrets.
So remember the simple rule: if it’s not needed, shred it. Even if you don’t think you have a safe place to store the sensitive data you do need, you can make a big impact on reducing your risk by shredding that which you do not need.
For access to Identity Finder for use at the University or at home, please contact your local campus IT department.