Tag Archives: Data Protection

6 Habits that put your Data in Jeopardy

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1.      Leaving documents on your desk

You may be leaving these out so that you remember to work on them in the morning however this is not recommended. It can leave you vulnerable to theft and at risk of information being misused. The best thing to do is to have a secure locker or drawer to put any documents you are currently using. When they are no longer needed don’t forget to use your secure shredding services.

2.      Using passwords that are too easy to guess.

Change Password

It can be difficult to remember all these passwords however using the same password for everything or using very basic passwords can be detrimental to the security of you and your business. Try to use a password which consists of at least 9 characters and combines upper case, lower case, numbers and symbols. Avoid writing passwords down anywhere as these can easily be misplaced and fall into the wrong hands. I use a password manager because I just can’t remember them all off the top of my head.

3.      Throwing out old mobile devices or laptops.

Even if you format your device the information can still be recoverable. These must not be disposed of incorrectly. You may need to use a hard drive destruction service or a digital data destruction service. 

4.      Delaying updates

Delaying Updates

I find I am always asked to do updates at the wrong time. It is always when I’m busy or engaged in something on my computer or phone that I am asked to do them. Regularly I am guilty of postponing these updates for any length of time. This is risky in both a personal and professional setting. When your device needs an update it is most often an update that deals with any security issues or threats. It is important to keep things up to date so you are protected to the utmost degree on your digital devices.

5.      Opening Email attachments from unrecognised sources

Sometimes these look like emails from legitimate sources and they may be attempting to trick you with a phishing scam. Recently I received one to my personal email about my Netflix payment not going through and could I please resubmit my payment information. My Netflix was due at that time and had I not been aware of what to watch out for I may have fallen victim to it. Usually the email address will give them away and won’t have the expected domain name of the business. They will often have spelling mistakes somewhere in the email or in the link if you happen to click on it before realising what it is. Only open attachments you are expecting and from sources you recognise.

6.      Throwing documents into the recycling bin or rubbish bin

Rubbish documents

If you do not dispose of your paper documents correctly, you are creating a massive breach in the security of your company. Recycling waste and rubbish are easily accessible to anyone. Information can be pieced together that can be dangerous for your business. It is also against the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to dispose of this data incorrectly. 

Do Irish Companies need a Data Protection Officer? – Companies Ireland

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onsite paper shredding, paper shredding ireland, shredding company ireland, data protection officer

Image source: gdpr-info

Companies in Ireland – the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Within the EU GDPR there is a mandate for certain companies including specific Companies operating in Ireland that a Data Protection Officer is appointed within their business.

This Data Protection Officer will be the “go to” person within Irish companies and will manage the responsibility for Data Protection Compliance.

Responsibilities for the Data Protection Officer include but are not limited to;

  • Monitoring the company’s compliance with The Data Protection Law, managing training of staff for data protection and carrying out audits within the Organisation.
  • Providing advice to the Organisation relating to their obligations under the GDPR
  • Acting as the main contact point within the Organisation for the local Data Protection Authority (The Data Protection Commissioner)

Not all Irish companies will require to have an appointed DPO.

The circumstances listed below will require companies in Ireland will have a DPO;

  • Public Authorities processing public data (except for courts in their judicial capacity)
  • The Company in Ireland has a core activity which involve data processing operations and “require regular monitoring of data subjects on a large scale
  • The core activities of the organisation involve the processing of sensitive personal data on a large scale.

The specific size of the above listed processing activity is not detailed within the GDPR. There is not identifiable cut off point but it would be advised that Irish Companies to act on the side of caution rather than face the extreme financial sanctions for breaking the Law.

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Under Article 58 of the GDPR, in Ireland, the Office of The Data Protection Commissioner will be able to fine Irish companies who are found guilty of a data breach. Article 58 does not differentiate between an accidental breach and a deliberate breach. Fines for a data breach have been increased to a maximum of 20 million Euro or 4% of their global turnover, whichever is the larger.

If there was ever an appropriate time for Irish Companies to review all of their data processing activities, identify to whom they are releasing data to both digital data and paper data, it is now before the fines are in place and enforced.

Within the GDPR, a single DPO can represent multiple organisations and does not have to be a member of staff belonging to the specific Company. Therefore, several organisations can collectively appoint one DPO to represent their combined interests.

Currently it is clear to see through research conducted that the expected compliance is not matched by the level of knowledge and awareness within the market. An underestimated figure of 28,000 Data Protection Officers will need to be appointed throughout Europe before the GDPR becomes law.

For more information upon compliance with the GDPR please contact the Security in Shredding team for assistance.

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Benefits of Shredding Documents On Site

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Security In Shredding on site service

Shredding documents is a highly beneficial process to protect your data within businesses and organisations. A reputable shredding service will shred your documents on-site to better suit your data destruction process.

Shredding paper on-site gives peace of mind. It offers security and reassurance to organisations. An organisation can in fact nominate a representative to view the destruction through a monitor on the side of the truck. Either system ensures that ALL DATA is shredded BEFORE leaving a site.

All material is destroyed beyond recognition.

shredded paper

On Site Shredding Benefits:

We supply the highest standard, most efficient mobile shredding machine on the Irish market.

This system includes the supply of secure wheelie bins and a regular call-out service to our customers. Our operators do not see or touch any documents before they are shredded. The output of the shredding machine is 2.5 tonnes per hour, the equivalent to a 240 litre wheelie bin per minute. As a result, we use the minimum amount of time while providing our customers with the most professional and efficient service possible.

Security Shredding Eliminates Risk:

  • Prevent information leaks and breaches of security
  • Reduces your risk from improperly discarded documents
  • Reduces risk of identity theft
  • Reduces your risk of recovery
  • Reduces your storage costs
  • Saving employee time from document shredding
  • Minimum time used for speedy efficient shredding service
  • Affordable and cost effective
  • Become an active business in protecting the environment

“Scheduled”, “On Call” or “Clear Out”

We provide a variety of services to better suit your needs or destruction process. We can shred your documents on a specific date available. Clients can call our trained staff and make an appoint for our truck to come out to your base of operation.

Or a once off large shred of Clear out shredding is also available. Due to the efficiency of our on site mobile shredding units we have the capability to destruct high volumes of material efficiently. This service can also be scheduled by contacting our staff.

Call Us Today

At Security In Shredding we provide more than just a paper shredding service. We shred a number of items and old or unused items. For more information on our shredding services, please get i contact with one of our staff at; info@securityinshredding.com 

8 Rules To Ensure Data Protection In Your Business

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Data protection service AND DATA DESTRUCTION

8 Important Rules To Help Ensure Data Protection

“You must…

  1. Obtain and process information fairly
  2. Keep it only for one or more specified, explicit and lawful purposes
  3. Use and disclose it only in ways compatible with these purposes
  4. Keep it safe and secure
  5. Keep it accurate, complete and up-to-date
  6. Ensure that it is adequate, relevant and not excessive
  7. Retain it for no longer than is necessary for the purpose or purposes
  8. Give a copy of his/her personal data to an individual, on request”

“According to the results of our National Data Protection Survey – more than half of Irish companies say that they have suffered a data breach in the last 12 months.

The results also show that data breaches, hacking attacks and employee negligence have all risen in the last year in Irish organisations.

  • One in three Irish companies have no corporate data breach policy and almost half are poorly trained for data breaches.
  • Only two in five Irish firms have any internal sanctions for non-compliance with data protection rules.
  • Most Irish companies have no guidelines on transferring data outside the country.

secure data & data protection

The survey has shown that Irish companies’ biggest threat continues to be “negligent employees”, with one in five singling out inept staff as the biggest issue they face in keeping sensitive data secure.

14% claimed hackers are the second biggest threat, while 12% said that staff losing unsecured phones, laptops or USB keys would be the third biggest threat.

Two out of three companies claimed to have implemented data breach policies in some or all aspects of their business even though one third of employees say they are not adequately familiar with them.

confidential shredding, clean desk policy

Data Protection training and awareness programs are the best way to improve the acknowledgement of best practice in the area.

To ensure your organisation doesn’t fall victim to a data breach, ensure your staff are trained on the subject.”

For more information on Data Security and data protection, email on of our staff at:

info@securityinshredding.com

Onsite Document Shredding Available Near You

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Security in Shredding Confidential Paper Shredding

Confidential document shredding services, document & product destruction are services available through Security In Shredding. Our quality service provides security and confidentiality to document destruction services.

Security In Shredding are specialists in confidential documents & product destruction services. We regularly provide these services to government departments, public and private companies as well as home owners throughout the Republic of Ireland.

Onsite shredding is internationally recognised as the most secure method of destroying sensitive and confidential paperwork. Shredding to a Din level 6 is a security standard which is vital for the security of data destruction.

Available Near You!

Security In Shredding on site shredding trucks are available in the Republic of Ireland. A once off large shred is available or scheduled of on call services are also available to suit your needs.

We offer a range of destruction solutions for all your paperwork, hard drives, videos and all electronic office equipment. Fully licensed and NWCP, your confidential material is safe with Security In Shredding. We are a data processor and once we have your documents, it is our responsibility to destroy the documents.


Maintaining confidentiality is essential in today’s business world. Now more than ever data security and data protection is vital for business success. More than for business success, it is the law to protect your data under the data protection act.

We provide our customers with the most secure method of confidential document destruction available, fully transparent with same day shred for collection services.

harddrive destruction, Media Destruction, Confidential Shredding Service

We Destroy Digital Data Devices

Along with protecting confidential paper documents. Your digital data must be protected also. Ignorance and human error are major risks with digital devices. One method that ensures data destruction is to physically destroy the drive. Our IT & Media Data Destruction Systems provide a 100% guaranteed destruction policy.

Call us today for any enquires you may have regarding our Shredding Services and or IT & media destruction, then email us at: info@securityinshredding.com

Looking For On Site Document Shredding In Limerick Or Galway

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Security In Shredding on site service

Running and maintaining a business requires content and data. this is displayed through paper and digital data. Ensuring data confidentiality is paramount to business success. Shredding or destroying your documents is one method of data destruction.

Not Just Any Aul Shredder

Shredding documents does improve data security. A simple office shredder shreds paper but this can be reconstructed. Industrial paper shredding specialists are available to handle all your data destruction needs.

Reputable document destruction companies operate within data protection laws and the Data Protection Commissioner (DPC.) A reputable paper destruction will shred all your documents to a level beyond reconstruction. A Din 66399 Standard is used by shredding companies and ensure a high level of quality shredding.

What Is Din 66399

At Security in Shredding we are experts in the Data Destruction Industry and we are happy to explain the new DIN 66399 shredding standard to our clients as their knowledge on it and the benefits from it is limited.

The modern DIN 66399 replaces the DIN 32757 and for the first time divides data destruction into three separate protection classes and seven security levels in total.

Secure data destruction

Call Us & We Will come To You

Any and all paper data can be shredded and destroy your documents confidentially and securely with our specialised trucks. Our On site Shredding is available for scheduled services or on call service. We regularly operate throughout Ireland and in Limerick and Galway regions.

  • We provide lockable bins and our trained staff will handle these bins from your premises to the truck.
  • The secure receptacle is automatically lifted by our mobile shredding technology and is constantly under surveillance and watched through our on-board monitor.
  • Our mobile shredding unit destroys the client’s material on site at their premises.

Our specialised trucks can handle 1 X 240 Litre receptacle per minute. This will require minimal amount of time to shred your documents providing an efficient and excellent service. The service is also environmentally friendly.

What Can We Shred?

Clients will ask us what can be shredded? there are a number of documents and document types that can be easily shredded by us. “Lever arch files,” “older files,” and or “archive files” are often asked if they can be shredded. They can be shredded.

We have a list of recommended documents to shred, view our what to shred list  of recommended documents to destroy.

For more information on our services please visit our site or email us an enquiry at: info@securityinshredding.com

Call Experts in Confidential Shredding For Secure Destruction

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Security In Shredding on site service

Weather it is unwanted or old paper documents to dated computer hardware, at Security in Shredding we provide confidential shredding at competitive prices with compliance to data protection laws

The importance of document paper shredding Limerick cannot be understated, services are nationwide in Ireland and guarantees a shoe fitted service to all clients. If you are an owner of a business and making good money, you must be aware about the document security and its perceptiveness. Security of documents is of imperative importance even if you don’t require them anymore.

Hackers and informational data thieves are always probing for fast ways to enter the information security systems. Documenting data might be of no use to you, but matters a lot to thieves. By leaving them in a non-secure location or sending them for self-destruction and/or general recycling, you are straight forwardly providing them with an opportunity to access your confidential files.

Data Protection, Paper Shredding, Waste theft

Security in shredding can save you from facing penalties and fines let alone data theft itself. For this, you should know which document needs to put in your security procedures. Below is a short list of just a few documents that should be included;

  • Legal documents
  • Financial accounts
  • Employment Documentation
  • Payroll records and media

Payroll details can reveal your earning records, which is what thieves want to know to strip you. And advancement in technology has enabled the cyber world to convert a copy of files stored on CD’s, tapes, disks and other storage devices. Just breaking it is not enough.

Some Eco – friendly industries recycle their documents through their waste recycling provider, which is the clear path for trespassers to get what they need. It is certainly probable to hack the identities and other blue-chip information out from financial records, legal documents, medical records etc. once your paper data leaves your premises in a general waste lorry.

Once your informational data has been stolen, your bank accounts, personal accounts, profiles and business deals come under intense risk. And such thieves are onerous to catch. Professional specialists of paper shredding Ireland service is the only prompting solution to it.

One less thing to be worrying about when it is dealt with by professionals!!..

Email us at: info@securityinshredding.com

Reasons To Purge Your Data and Digital Media Destruction

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Heartbleed Data Theft

At Security In shredding our purge clear out service and media destruction of electronic devices are a guaranteed method of data destruction. This form of data destruction ensures your data security is being maintained as with electronic devices there can be flaws and potential breaches that can be a major risk to a business or organisations data.

The Heartbleed Bug

An unexpected encryption flaw known as the Heartbleed Bug has been referred to as the biggest security threat the Internet has ever experienced. The Bug which is a severe vulnerability within the widely used OpenSSL cryptography software library has received the name “Heartbleed” from security researchers.

Open SSL software is used to encrypt information that you send to and from websites, examples of this information would be your login name and password and/or other sensitive information. SSL/TLS software provides communication privacy and security over the Internet for applications such as email, web, virtual private networks (VPNs) and instant messaging.

Within your browser you can recognise when websites encrypt information when you see a closed padlock symbol alongside the website address. The Heartbleed Bug enables anyone on the Internet to read memory of systems protected by the OpenSSL software.

This compromises the security keys used to identify service providers and encrypt the traffic, the actual content and the names & passwords of the users. The Bug essentially allows attackers to impersonate services and users by allowing them to eavesdrop on communications and steel data directly from the services and users.

As the bug allows hackers to exploit a flaw in the OpenSSL encryption software used by the majority of major websites changing your passwords will not matter if the website is still vulnerable as the website would have to update their software first.

To provide guidance and to help defend against this online tools such as The Heartbleed Test & Norton Safe Web – Heartbleed Check  have been created in order to test if a website has been compromised by the Heartbleed Bug.

How Heartbleed works

When sending information back and forth through a secure connection (E.g. Facebook – Gmail messaging) sometimes a computer will test to check if the other computer is still available. This is completed by the computer by sending a small packet of data called a “heartbeat” which is then confirmed. The flaw within the OpenSSL software enables hackers to use a fake packet of data which in turn tricks the corresponding computer into responding with data stored within its memory.

This flaw within the conventional encryption software is undetectable by current standards and has been active under the radar for a period of time in the region of two years. Google Security Researcher and security firm Codenomicon discovered the flaw and they said that even if you are not a frequent user of the internet, you are most likely affected by the bug – “You are likely to be affected either directly or indirectly.

OpenSSL is the most popular open source cryptographic library and TLS (transport layer security) implementation used to encrypt traffic on the Internet. Your popular social site, your company’s site, commercial site, hobby site, sites you install software from or even sites run by your government might be using vulnerable OpenSSL.”

How to stop the leak?

While the vulnerable version of OpenSSL is in use it can be abused. Fixed OpenSSL has been developed and released but it has to be deployed. Operating systems vendors, distribution vendors along with independent software vendors have to adopt the fix and notify their users as it becomes available for the software they use, operating systems and networked appliances.

This is a detailed report on the heartbleed bug. There are many bugs and issues regarding software and devices. Awareness to these issues is important for you and us. Ensuring your data security is maintained and compliance with data protection act.

Visti our shredding Limerick pages for details on our data destruction services.

Email us at: info@securityinshredding.com

Putting Costs Over Protection Does More Harm Than Good

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Data proccesser and data commissioner

Data protection and your data protection strategy is ultimately down to you and your team to install and maintain. A confidential shredding specialist will help you with your data protection and destruction methods.

How your documents are handled and accessed must be established and in a format that is acceptable to your business or organisations practices.

A recent report from the Data Protection Commissioner (DPC Annual Report 2015) Ms Dixon says despite claims to the contrary, there is no inherent conflict between her office being able to hear complaints from individuals on the one hand and provide guidance to organisations who may perhaps be infringing people’s rights on the other.

Helen Dixon also said her office does not have the resources to replace the requirement for organisations to procure their own expert advice and build their own capacity when it comes to being data protection compliant

 

Digital Data just as vulnerable as Paper data

2015 saw email queries to the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner rise by 6% to 14,427, with an additional 16,713 phone enquiries and 885 postal requests for information.

In total, 932 complaints were opened, down 28 on 2014.

A record number of decisions under the data protection acts were made by Ms Dixon’s office , with CCTV in the workplace, direct marketing by SMS, spam emails and banks failing to keep personal contact information up to date the main problem for complainants.

62% of complaints focused on the right of people to access personal data held by others about them, with 11% centred on electronic direct marketing.

23 complaints were received from individuals who were unhappy at search engines’ refusal to delete search results about them under the “Right to be Forgotten” principle, nine fewer than in 2014.

The commission was also notified of 2,317 valid data security breaches in 2015, and increase of 129 year-on-year, with over half being unauthorised disclosures like postal and electronic communications.

Out Source Your Data Destruction

The article contains further details link is above. Protecting your data can be done with a few simple steps and a little bit of know how. Fore more information on data protection methods and confidential shredding, please visit our site.

Also email us for any questions or queries at: info@securityinshredding.com 

Clear Out Shredding (Purge Service) In Limerick & Galway

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clear out paper shredding

We may not like to admit it but we accumulate clutter at home and around the office. Purging documents or a Clear out Service can be used to remove your old and expired documents. The greater the amount of paper accumulated the greater the risk of a data breach.

You may have picked up an interesting flyer or printed out a document to use at a later date. Leaving a work or private document aside and use at a later stage. This process continues and repeats. When you decide to deal with the build up, it can be a daunting task to deal with.

Why Remove Your Clutter?

There are many reasons to remove your clutter both security and health reasons. A cluttered environment can be stressful and stress has many negative health effects on your body and mind. To name a few,

  • increase blood pressure.
  • reduce your immune and digestive system.
  • Increase risk of heart attack and stroke.

Security issues such as data breaches can occur if private documents are not disposed of correctly. If a data breach occurs, you are required by law to report it to the Data Protection Commissioner. Failure to do so can result in a hefty fine on your business.

Lifehacker is a website on how to’s and have an easy to follow article on removing clutter in your office. LifeHacker: The End All Guide To to Getting Out From Under Office Crap These guidelines can help you with getting a grasp on the clutter and dealing with the mentioned issues

There is also another method of dealing with the clutter.

Security In Shredding on site service

Confidential Shredding Service

Confidential shredding specialists in Limerick & Galway are available to do on site shredding of any and all documents. This method will remove all your unwanted documents, safe in the knowledge that any and all private documents are destroyed beyond recognition.

This eliminates the risk of a data breach and the potential of a large fine for your business. Our trucks are available for scheduled service and do the shredding process on site.

On site may not suit your set up and a bag collection service is also available. The sealed secure bags are then brought to our shredding machine at out location and a document of destruction certificate will be sent to you to confirm the shredding.

For more information on or clear out service or any other shredding service, please contact our team by emailing us any question or query.

Email us at: info@securityinshredding.com