More and more organisations are allowing their employees to use their personally-owned devices, for example iPads and tablets, at work. This is because online technologies are now part of our everyday lives, not just at work but at home and at play too.
Will Roebuck's short Slideshare presentation looks at some of the key legal risks associated with consumer technology in the workplace.
What is Information Security and why you should care ...James Mulhern
An interactive introduction to Information Security and Cyber Security for BTEC students studying IT at Swindon College in the UK. The session illustrates the breadth and diversity of the subject and opportunities it can offer. The session illustrates things might not always be as they seem and the impacts can be far more reaching than at first imagined.
Gdpr demystified - making sense of the regulationJames Mulhern
Slightly out dated introduction to GDPR, that tries to move away from the headlines on fines and emphasises the global nature of the regulation, the numerous forms of lawful processing and the absolute need to manage privacy and be transparent. Goes on to show how using public cloud can help solve part of the problem.
Next Dimension and Siskinds PIPEDA Legislation Updates as of November 1 2018Next Dimension Inc.
Siskinds, a leading Law Firm in Ontario, presented updates on PIPEDA legislation including what you need to know, and what you need to do in order to ensure your company is compliant.
More and more organisations are allowing their employees to use their personally-owned devices, for example iPads and tablets, at work. This is because online technologies are now part of our everyday lives, not just at work but at home and at play too.
Will Roebuck's short Slideshare presentation looks at some of the key legal risks associated with consumer technology in the workplace.
What is Information Security and why you should care ...James Mulhern
An interactive introduction to Information Security and Cyber Security for BTEC students studying IT at Swindon College in the UK. The session illustrates the breadth and diversity of the subject and opportunities it can offer. The session illustrates things might not always be as they seem and the impacts can be far more reaching than at first imagined.
Gdpr demystified - making sense of the regulationJames Mulhern
Slightly out dated introduction to GDPR, that tries to move away from the headlines on fines and emphasises the global nature of the regulation, the numerous forms of lawful processing and the absolute need to manage privacy and be transparent. Goes on to show how using public cloud can help solve part of the problem.
Next Dimension and Siskinds PIPEDA Legislation Updates as of November 1 2018Next Dimension Inc.
Siskinds, a leading Law Firm in Ontario, presented updates on PIPEDA legislation including what you need to know, and what you need to do in order to ensure your company is compliant.
Human resources: protecting confidentiality KelbySchwender
This is a PowerPoint I have created after watching a Lynda that pertained to Human Resources: Protecting Confidentiality. I have pulled the information that is most valuable to me from this Lynda.
Security, Privacy Data Protection and Perspectives to Counter Cybercrime 0409...Gohsuke Takama
"Security, Privacy Data Protection and Perspectives to Counter Cybercrime" was presented at the CodeGate 2008 security conference in Seoul, Korea, April 2008.
http://www.codegate.org/
How Your Nonprofit Can Avoid Data Breaches and Ensure Privacy Part 2TechSoup Canada
Part 1 of this webinar series provided an overview of cybersecurity and explained the cyber risks and legislation affecting nonprofits. In part 2 of the series, Imran Ahmad of Miller Thomson, LLP returns to answer your questions on cybersecurity and to delve deeper into cybersecurity maintenance and best practices to avoid data breaches. This includes the implementation of measures to prevent data breaches in the pre-attack phase, to the implementation of security best practices in the event of a cyber attack or breach.
What you will learn:
· How to develop key cybersecurity-related documents;
· How to maintain an internal matrix of when to notify affected individuals;
· How to review contracts from a cybersecurity compliance perspective.
How your nonprofit can avoid data breaches and ensure privacyTechSoup Canada
Increasingly, nonprofits hold large quantities of digital assets (such as donor information, grant application details, financial records, etc.). Organizations of all sizes and industries are being targeted by cyber criminals. Cyber-attacks will often devastate an organization’s operations and have significant financial, legal and reputational consequences.
In this webinar, Imran Ahmad of Miller Thomson, LLP will explain how implementing best practices from a pre-breach standpoint can go a long way to mitigate the negative consequences of a cyber-attack.
What you will learn:
- what the cyber threat landscape looks like
- how to ensure privacy of your digital assets
- steps to take in the aftermath of a cyber-attack
In this report, we breakdown the Target attack to 11 detailed steps, beginning with the initial credential theft of Target’s HVAC contractor to the theft of PII and credit cards. Particular attention is given to those steps, unknown until now, such as how the attackers were able to propagate within the network. Throughout this report we highlight pertinent insights into the Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTPs4) of the attackers. Finally, we provide recommendations on the needed security measures for mitigating similar advanced targeted attacks.
I wrote this paper on 2014 as the VP of Research for Aorato
Master Data in the Cloud: 5 Security FundamentalsSarah Fane
Your master data is essential to the smooth operation of your business. But it is also valuable to others. Master data is vulnerable to both internal and external attacks. As the future of business and data is increasingly cloud-based, we explore five fundamentals to ensure the security of your data.
Human resources: protecting confidentiality KelbySchwender
This is a PowerPoint I have created after watching a Lynda that pertained to Human Resources: Protecting Confidentiality. I have pulled the information that is most valuable to me from this Lynda.
Security, Privacy Data Protection and Perspectives to Counter Cybercrime 0409...Gohsuke Takama
"Security, Privacy Data Protection and Perspectives to Counter Cybercrime" was presented at the CodeGate 2008 security conference in Seoul, Korea, April 2008.
http://www.codegate.org/
How Your Nonprofit Can Avoid Data Breaches and Ensure Privacy Part 2TechSoup Canada
Part 1 of this webinar series provided an overview of cybersecurity and explained the cyber risks and legislation affecting nonprofits. In part 2 of the series, Imran Ahmad of Miller Thomson, LLP returns to answer your questions on cybersecurity and to delve deeper into cybersecurity maintenance and best practices to avoid data breaches. This includes the implementation of measures to prevent data breaches in the pre-attack phase, to the implementation of security best practices in the event of a cyber attack or breach.
What you will learn:
· How to develop key cybersecurity-related documents;
· How to maintain an internal matrix of when to notify affected individuals;
· How to review contracts from a cybersecurity compliance perspective.
How your nonprofit can avoid data breaches and ensure privacyTechSoup Canada
Increasingly, nonprofits hold large quantities of digital assets (such as donor information, grant application details, financial records, etc.). Organizations of all sizes and industries are being targeted by cyber criminals. Cyber-attacks will often devastate an organization’s operations and have significant financial, legal and reputational consequences.
In this webinar, Imran Ahmad of Miller Thomson, LLP will explain how implementing best practices from a pre-breach standpoint can go a long way to mitigate the negative consequences of a cyber-attack.
What you will learn:
- what the cyber threat landscape looks like
- how to ensure privacy of your digital assets
- steps to take in the aftermath of a cyber-attack
In this report, we breakdown the Target attack to 11 detailed steps, beginning with the initial credential theft of Target’s HVAC contractor to the theft of PII and credit cards. Particular attention is given to those steps, unknown until now, such as how the attackers were able to propagate within the network. Throughout this report we highlight pertinent insights into the Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTPs4) of the attackers. Finally, we provide recommendations on the needed security measures for mitigating similar advanced targeted attacks.
I wrote this paper on 2014 as the VP of Research for Aorato
Master Data in the Cloud: 5 Security FundamentalsSarah Fane
Your master data is essential to the smooth operation of your business. But it is also valuable to others. Master data is vulnerable to both internal and external attacks. As the future of business and data is increasingly cloud-based, we explore five fundamentals to ensure the security of your data.
From ITC Agent Conference 2015...
Have you ever really thought about all the confidential data you store in your agency? Do you realize how easily your data could be stolen? Are you protecting yourself and your agency from theft of information? Attend this session to hear the tips, tricks and suggestions that will protect your agency and your clients' information.
Cybersecurity has become an important issue for today's businesses. This presentation will review current scams and fraud, how to develop a plan to keep your business safe and secure, tips and resources.
We Have Met the Enemy, and He is Us: The Role of the "Human Factor" in Protec...Jack Pringle
These are the written materials accompanying a presentation I made at the SC Bar Convention on January 17, 2019 and addressing the role of human error, inattention, impatience, and greed in data security incidents, all of which often lead to the loss of sensitive information, client funds, and access to networks and files.
With 2014 being noted as “The Year of the Breach,” many businesses are still unprepared or not properly protected from numerous security threats. So what can your business do to help keep sensitive data safe? Check out the following slideshow to learn how to protect yourself and your business from threats. Contact the IT Security experts at MTG today to protect your organization!
Data is an important assets for an enterprise. Data must be protected against loss and destruction. In IT field huge data is being exchanged among multiple people at every moment. During sharing of the data, there are huge chances of data vulnerability, leakage or alteration. So, to prevent these problems, a survey on data leakage detection system has been done. This paper talks about the concept, causes and techniques to detect the data leakage. Businesses processes facts and figures to turn raw data into useful information. This information is used by businesses to generate and improve revenue at every mile stone. Thus, along with data availability and accessibility data security is also very important.
No business wants to face a data breach, but you should be prepared should it happen. Here are 5 steps to protect your organization after a data breach.
Managing data security and privacy in call centres ankur guptaAankur Gupta
Call centre fraud has grown by 45% in recent years, according to Pindrop's 2016 Call Center Fraud Report. Given the repertoire of information that is constantly churning in and out of call centres, they are likely to be targets of fraudsters fishing for data. A pertinent question arises about the role of call centres in managing the security of this vast amount of customer data and ensuring its privacy.
Failure to comply with the Data Protection Act could result in prosecution, legal action taken against your company by the aggrieved party and all the associated reputational damage that this entails.
Find out what you need to know about the Data Protection act here.
Similar to Protecting Personal Information: A Guide for Business (20)
This report solely belongs to Symantec. Credit is due to all original authors and no financial gain was made from the report, Simply sharing for educational purposes,
The FBI is the lead federal agency for investigating malicious cyber activity by criminals, nation-state adversaries, and terrorists. To fulfill this mission, the FBI often develops resources to enhance operations and collaboration. One such resource is the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) which provides the public with a trustworthy and convenient mechanism for reporting information concerning suspected Internet-facilitated criminal activity. At the end of every year, the IC3 collates information collected into an annual report.
Credit is due to all original authors and no financial gain was made from the blog, Simply sharing an interesting story for educational purposes,
This guide aims to help journalists understand their rights at protests and avoid arrest when reporting on these events. It summarizes the legal landscape and provides strategies and tools to help journalists avoid incidents with police and navigate them successfully should they arise. Credit RCFP.Org
Credit is due to all original authors and no financial gain was made from the blog, Simply sharing an interesting story for educational purposes,
Verizon Publishes 2020 Data Breach Investigation Report (DBIR) With Insights From Thousands of Confirmed Breaches. Verizon's 2020 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) is the most extensive yet, with 81 contributing organizations, and more than 32,000 incidents analyzed (of which 3,950 were confirmed breaches). Credit:Verizon
Credit is due to all original authors and no financial gain was made from the report, Simply sharing an interesting story for educational purposes,
A Resource Guide to theU.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
Credit is due to all original authors and no financial gain was made from the report, Simply sharing an interesting story for educational purposes,
The FTC takes in reports from consumers about problems they experience in the marketplace. The reportsare stored in the Consumer Sentinel Network (Sentinel), a secure online database available only to lawenforcement. While the FTC does not intervene in individual consumer disputes, its law enforcementpartners – whether they are down the street, across the nation, or around the world – can use informationin the database to spot trends, identify questionable business practices and targets, and enforce the law.
Credit is due to all original authors and no financial gain was made from the report, Simply sharing an interesting story for educational purposes,
Below is a list of consumer reporting companies updated for 2019.1 Consumer reporting companies collect information and provide reports to other companies about you. These companies use these reports to inform decisions about providing you with credit, employment, residential rental housing, insurance, and in other decision making situations. The list below includes the three nationwide consumer reporting companies and several other reporting companies that focus on certain market areas and consumer segments. The list gives you tips so you can determine which of these companies may be important to you. It also makes it easier for you to take advantage of your legal rights to (1) obtain the information in your consumer reports, and (2) dispute suspected inaccuracies in your reports with companies as needed.
Advisory to Financial Institutions on Illicit Financial Schemes and Methods R...- Mark - Fullbright
Transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), foreign fentanyl suppliers, and Internet purchasers located in the United States engage in the trafficking of fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, and other synthetic opioids and the subsequent laundering of the proceeds from such illegal sales.
The mission of the IC3 is to provide the public with a reliable and convenient reporting mechanism to submit information to the FBI concerning suspected Internet-facilitated criminal activity, and to develop effective alliances with industry partners. Information is analyzed and disseminated for investigative and intelligence purposes, for law enforcement, and for public awareness.
Credit is due to all original authors and no financial gain was made from the report, Simply sharing an interesting story for educational purposes,
This report is built upon analysis of 41,686 security incidents, of which 2,013 were confirmed data breaches. We will take a look at how results are changing (or not) over the years as well as digging into the overall threat landscape and the actors, actions, and assets that are present in breaches. Windows into the most common pairs of threat actions and affected assets also are provided.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC or Commission) is an independent U.S. law enforcement agency charged with protecting consumers and enhancing competition across broad sectors of the economy. The FTC’s primary legal authority comes from Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act, which prohibits unfair or deceptive practices in the marketplace. The FTC also has authority to enforce a variety of sector specific laws, including the Truth in Lending Act, the CAN-SPAM Act, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, and the Telemarketing and Consumer Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act. This broad authority allows the Commission
to address a wide array of practices affecting consumers, including those that emerge with the development of new technologies and business models.
Sentinel sorts consumer reports into 29 top categories. Appendices B1 – B3 describe the categories,providing details, and three year figures. To reflect marketplace changes, new categories or subcategories are created or deleted over time.The Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book excludes the National Do Not Call Registry. A separate report about these complaint statistics is available at: https://www.ftc.gov/reports/national-do-not-call-registry-data-book-fiscal-year-2018. The Sentinel Data Book also excludes reports about unsolicited commercial email.Consumers can report as much or as little detail as they wish when they file a report. For the Sentinel Data Book graphics, percentages are based on the total number of Sentinel fraud, identity theft, and other report types in 2018 in which consumers provided the information displayed on each chart.Reports to Sentinel sometimes indicate money was lost, and sometimes indicate no money was lost.Often, people make these reports after they experience something problematic in the marketplace,avoid losing any money, and wish to alert others. Except where otherwise stated, numbers are based on reports both from people who indicated a loss and people who did not.Calculations of dollar amounts lost are based on reports in which consumers indicated they lost between $1 and $999,999. Prior to 2017, reported “amount paid” included values of $0 to $999,999.States and Metropolitan Areas are ranked based on the number of reports per 100,000 population.State rankings are based on 2017 U.S. Census population estimates (Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2017). Metropolitan Area rankings are based on 2016 U.S. Census population estimates (Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2016).This Sentinel Data Book identifies Metropolitan Areas (Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas)with a population of 100,000 or more except where otherwise noted. Metropolitan areas are defined by Office of Management and Budget Bulletin No. 15-01, “Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Combined Statistical Areas, and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas” (July 15, 2015). Numbers change over time. The Sentinel Data Book sorts consumer reports by year, based on the date of the consumer’s report. Some data contributors transfer their complaints to Sentinel after the end of the calendar year, and new data providers often contribute reports from prior years. As a result, the total number of reports for 2018 will likely change during the next few months, and totals from previous years may differ from prior Consumer Sentinel Network Data Books. The most up to date information can be found online at ftc.gov/data
A credit score is a three -digit number that predicts how likely you are to pay back a loan on time, based on information from your credit reports.
Company names mentioned herein are the property of, and may be trademarks of, their respective owners and are for educational purposes only.
Company names mentioned herein are the property of, and may be trademarks of, their respective owners and are for educational purposes only. - Medical identity theft has existed in various forms for decades, but it was in 2006 that World Privacy Forum published the first major report about the crime. The report called for medical data breach notification laws and more research about medical identity theft and its impacts. Since that time, medical data breach notification laws have been enacted, and other progress has been made, particularly in the quality of consumer complaint datasets gathered around identity theft, including medical forms of the crime. This report uses new data arising from consumer medical identity theft complaint reporting and medical data breach reporting to analyze and document the geography of medical identity theft and its growth patterns. The report also discusses new aspects of consumer harm resulting from the crime that the data has brought to light
The FTC takes in reports from consumers about problems they experience in the marketplace. The reports are stored in the Consumer Sentinel Network (Sentinel), a secure online database available only to law enforcement. While the FTC does not intervene in individual consumer disputes, its law enforcement partners – whether they are down the street, across the nation, or around the world – can use information in the database to spot trends, identify questionable business practices and targets, and enforce the law.
Since 1997, Sentinel has collected tens of millions of reports from consumers about fraud, identity theft, and other consumer protection topics. During 2017, Sentinel received nearly 2.7 million consumer reports, which the FTC has sorted into 30 top categories. The 2017 Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book (Sentinel Data Book) has a vibrant new look, and a lot more information about what consumers told us last year. You'll know more about how much money people lost in the aggregate, the median amount they paid, and what frauds were most costly. And you'll know much more about complaints of identity theft, fraud, and other types of problems in each state, too. The Sentinel Data Book is based on unverified reports filed by consumers. The data is not based on a consumer survey. Sentinel has a five-year data retention policy, with reports older than five years purged biannually.
This guide addresses the steps to take once a
breach has occured. For advice on implementing a
plan to protect consumers’ personal information, to
prevent breaches and unauthorized access, check
out the FTC’s Protecting Personal Information: A
Guide for Business and Start with Security: A Guide
for Business.
*Company names mentioned herein are the property of, and may be trademarks of, their respective owners and are for educational purposes only.
Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book for January 2016 - December 2016- Mark - Fullbright
FTC Consumer Sentinel Network Law enforcement's source for consumer complaints.
All information, data, and material contained, presented, or provided on is for educational purposes only.
Company names mentioned herein are the property of, and may be trademarks of, their respective owners.
It is not to be construed or intended as providing legal advice.
Synthetic Fiber Construction in lab .pptxPavel ( NSTU)
Synthetic fiber production is a fascinating and complex field that blends chemistry, engineering, and environmental science. By understanding these aspects, students can gain a comprehensive view of synthetic fiber production, its impact on society and the environment, and the potential for future innovations. Synthetic fibers play a crucial role in modern society, impacting various aspects of daily life, industry, and the environment. ynthetic fibers are integral to modern life, offering a range of benefits from cost-effectiveness and versatility to innovative applications and performance characteristics. While they pose environmental challenges, ongoing research and development aim to create more sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives. Understanding the importance of synthetic fibers helps in appreciating their role in the economy, industry, and daily life, while also emphasizing the need for sustainable practices and innovation.
Model Attribute Check Company Auto PropertyCeline George
In Odoo, the multi-company feature allows you to manage multiple companies within a single Odoo database instance. Each company can have its own configurations while still sharing common resources such as products, customers, and suppliers.
June 3, 2024 Anti-Semitism Letter Sent to MIT President Kornbluth and MIT Cor...Levi Shapiro
Letter from the Congress of the United States regarding Anti-Semitism sent June 3rd to MIT President Sally Kornbluth, MIT Corp Chair, Mark Gorenberg
Dear Dr. Kornbluth and Mr. Gorenberg,
The US House of Representatives is deeply concerned by ongoing and pervasive acts of antisemitic
harassment and intimidation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Failing to act decisively to ensure a safe learning environment for all students would be a grave dereliction of your responsibilities as President of MIT and Chair of the MIT Corporation.
This Congress will not stand idly by and allow an environment hostile to Jewish students to persist. The House believes that your institution is in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and the inability or
unwillingness to rectify this violation through action requires accountability.
Postsecondary education is a unique opportunity for students to learn and have their ideas and beliefs challenged. However, universities receiving hundreds of millions of federal funds annually have denied
students that opportunity and have been hijacked to become venues for the promotion of terrorism, antisemitic harassment and intimidation, unlawful encampments, and in some cases, assaults and riots.
The House of Representatives will not countenance the use of federal funds to indoctrinate students into hateful, antisemitic, anti-American supporters of terrorism. Investigations into campus antisemitism by the Committee on Education and the Workforce and the Committee on Ways and Means have been expanded into a Congress-wide probe across all relevant jurisdictions to address this national crisis. The undersigned Committees will conduct oversight into the use of federal funds at MIT and its learning environment under authorities granted to each Committee.
• The Committee on Education and the Workforce has been investigating your institution since December 7, 2023. The Committee has broad jurisdiction over postsecondary education, including its compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, campus safety concerns over disruptions to the learning environment, and the awarding of federal student aid under the Higher Education Act.
• The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is investigating the sources of funding and other support flowing to groups espousing pro-Hamas propaganda and engaged in antisemitic harassment and intimidation of students. The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is the principal oversight committee of the US House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate “any matter” at “any time” under House Rule X.
• The Committee on Ways and Means has been investigating several universities since November 15, 2023, when the Committee held a hearing entitled From Ivory Towers to Dark Corners: Investigating the Nexus Between Antisemitism, Tax-Exempt Universities, and Terror Financing. The Committee followed the hearing with letters to those institutions on January 10, 202
Acetabularia Information For Class 9 .docxvaibhavrinwa19
Acetabularia acetabulum is a single-celled green alga that in its vegetative state is morphologically differentiated into a basal rhizoid and an axially elongated stalk, which bears whorls of branching hairs. The single diploid nucleus resides in the rhizoid.
Operation “Blue Star” is the only event in the history of Independent India where the state went into war with its own people. Even after about 40 years it is not clear if it was culmination of states anger over people of the region, a political game of power or start of dictatorial chapter in the democratic setup.
The people of Punjab felt alienated from main stream due to denial of their just demands during a long democratic struggle since independence. As it happen all over the word, it led to militant struggle with great loss of lives of military, police and civilian personnel. Killing of Indira Gandhi and massacre of innocent Sikhs in Delhi and other India cities was also associated with this movement.
Introduction to AI for Nonprofits with Tapp NetworkTechSoup
Dive into the world of AI! Experts Jon Hill and Tareq Monaur will guide you through AI's role in enhancing nonprofit websites and basic marketing strategies, making it easy to understand and apply.
Read| The latest issue of The Challenger is here! We are thrilled to announce that our school paper has qualified for the NATIONAL SCHOOLS PRESS CONFERENCE (NSPC) 2024. Thank you for your unwavering support and trust. Dive into the stories that made us stand out!
Palestine last event orientationfvgnh .pptxRaedMohamed3
An EFL lesson about the current events in Palestine. It is intended to be for intermediate students who wish to increase their listening skills through a short lesson in power point.
2. Most companies keep sensitive personal information in
their files—names, Social Security numbers, credit card,
or other account data—that identifies customers
or employees.
This information often is necessary to fill orders, meet
payroll, or perform other necessary business functions.
However, if sensitive data falls into the wrong hands, it
can lead to fraud, identity theft, or similar harms. Given
the cost of a security breach—losing your customers’
trust and perhaps even defending yourself against a
lawsuit—safeguarding personal information is just plain
good business.
Some businesses may have the expertise in-house to
implement an appropriate plan. Others may find it helpful to
hire a contractor. Regardless of the size—or nature—of your
business, the principles in this brochure will go a long way
toward helping you keep data secure.
3. 1
A sound data security plan is built on 5 key principles:
1. TAKE STOCK.
Know what personal information you
have in your files and on your computers.
2. SCALE DOWN.
Keep only what you need for your business.
3. LOCK IT.
Protect the information that you keep.
4. PITCH IT.
Properly dispose of what you no longer need.
5. PLAN AHEAD.
Create a plan to respond to security incidents.
Use the checklists on the following pages to see how your
company’s practices measure up—and where changes are
necessary.
4. 2
1. TAKE STOCK.
Know what personal information you
have in your files and on your computers.
Effective data security starts with assessing what
information you have and identifying who has access
to it. Understanding how personal information moves
into, through, and out of your business and who has—or
could have—access to it is essential to assessing security
vulnerabilities. You can determine the best ways to secure
the information only after you’ve traced how it flows.
●● Inventory all computers, laptops, mobile devices,
flash drives, disks, home computers, digital copiers,
and other equipment to find out where your company
stores sensitive data.
Also, inventory the
information you have
by type and location.
Your file cabinets
and computer
systems are a start,
but remember: your
business receives
personal information
in a number of
ways—through websites, from contractors, from call
centers, and the like. What about information saved
on laptops, employees’ home computers, flash drives,
digital copiers, and mobile devices? No inventory is
complete until you check everywhere sensitive data
might be stored.
5. 3
1 Take Stock
●● Track personal information through your business
by talking with your sales department, information
technology staff, human resources office, accounting
personnel, and outside service providers. Get a
complete picture of:
►► Who sends sensitive personal information to
your business. Do you get it from customers?
Credit card companies? Banks or other financial
institutions? Credit bureaus? Job applicants?
Other businesses?
►► How your business receives personal
information. Does it come to your business
through a website? By email? Through the mail? Is
it transmitted through cash registers in stores?
►► What kind of information you collect at each
entry point. Do you get credit card information
online? Does your accounting department keep
information about customers’ checking accounts?
6. 4
SECURITY CHECK
Question:
Are there laws that require my company to keep sensitive
data secure?
Answer:
Yes. While you’re taking stock of the data in your files, take
stock of the law, too. Statutes like the Gramm-Leach-Bliley
Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and the Federal Trade
Commission Act may require you to provide reasonable
security for sensitive information.
To find out more, visit business.ftc.gov/privacy-and-security
►► Where you keep the information you collect
at each entry point. Is it in a central computer
database? On individual laptops? On a cloud
computing service? On employees’ smartphones,
tablets, or other mobile devices? On disks or
tapes? In file cabinets? In branch offices?
Do employees have files at home?
7. 5
1 Take Stock
●● Who has—or could have—access to the information?
Which of your employees has permission to access
the information? Do they need access? Could anyone
else get hold of it? What about vendors who supply
and update software you use to process credit card
transactions? Contractors operating your call center?
●● Different types of information present varying risks.
Pay particular attention to how you keep personally
identifying information: Social Security numbers, credit
card or financial information, and other sensitive data.
That’s what thieves use most often to commit fraud or
identity theft.
8. 6
SECURITY CHECK
Question:
We like to have accurate information about our customers,
so we usually create a permanent file about all aspects of
their transactions, including the information we collect from
the magnetic stripe on their credit cards. Could this put their
information at risk?
Answer:
Yes. Keep sensitive data in your system only as long as you
have a business reason to have it. Once that business need
is over, properly dispose of it. If it’s not in your system, it
can’t be stolen by hackers.
2. SCALE DOWN.
Keep only what you need for your
business.
If you don’t have a legitimate business need for sensitive
personally identifying information, don’t keep it. In fact,
don’t even collect it. If you have a legitimate business need
for the information, keep it only as long as it’s necessary.
●● Use Social Security numbers only for required and
lawful purposes—like reporting employee taxes.
Don’t use Social Security numbers unnecessarily—
for example, as an employee or customer
identification number, or because you’ve always
done it.
9. 2 Scale Down
7
●● If your company develops a mobile app, make sure
the app accesses only the data and functionality
that it needs. And don’t collect and retain personal
information unless it’s integral to your product or
service. Remember, if you collect and retain data, you
must protect it.
●● Don’t keep customer credit card information unless
you have a business need for it. For example, don’t
retain the account number and expiration date
unless you have an essential business need to do so.
Keeping this information—or keeping it longer than
necessary—raises the risk that the information could
be used to commit fraud or identity theft.
●● Scale down access to data. Follow the “principle of
least privilege.” That means each employee should
have access only to those resources needed to do
their particular job.
If you must keep information
for business reasons, or to
comply with the law, develop a
written records retention policy
to identify what information
must be kept, how to secure it,
how long to keep it, and how to
dispose of it securely when you
no longer need it.
10. 8
3. LOCK IT.
Protect the information that you keep.
What’s the best way to protect the sensitive personally
identifying information you need to keep? It depends on the
kind of information and how it’s stored. The most effective
data security plans deal with four key elements: physical
security, electronic security, employee training, and the
security practices of contractors and service providers.
Physical Security
Many data compromises happen the
old-fashioned way—through lost or
stolen paper documents. Often, the
best defense is a locked door or an
alert employee.
●● Store paper documents or files, as well as thumb
drives and backups containing personally identifiable
information, in a locked room or in a locked file
cabinet. Limit access to employees with a legitimate
business need. Control who has a key, and the
number of keys.
●● Require that files containing personally identifiable
information be kept in locked file cabinets except
when an employee is working on the file. Remind
employees not to leave sensitive papers out on their
desks when they are away from their workstations.
●● Require employees to put files away, log off their
computers, and lock their file cabinets and office
doors at the end of the day.
11. 3 Lock It
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●● Implement appropriate access controls for your
building. Tell employees what to do and whom to call
if they see an unfamiliar person on the premises.
●● If you maintain offsite storage facilities, limit employee
access to those with a legitimate business need.
Know if and when someone accesses the storage site.
●● If you ship sensitive information using outside carriers
or contractors, encrypt the information and keep an
inventory of the information being shipped. Also use
an overnight shipping service that will allow you to
track the delivery of your information.
●● If you have devices that collect sensitive information,
like PIN pads, secure them so that identity thieves
can’t tamper with them. Also, inventory those items
to ensure that they have not been switched.
Electronic Security
Computer security isn’t just the realm of your IT staff. Make
it your business to understand the vulnerabilities of your
computer system, and follow the advice of experts in the field.
General Network Security
●● Identify the computers or servers where sensitive
personal information is stored.
●● Identify all connections to the computers where you
store sensitive information. These may include the
internet, electronic cash registers, computers at your
branch offices, computers used by service providers
to support your network, digital copiers, and wireless
devices like smartphones, tablets, or inventory scanners.
12. 10
●● Assess the vulnerability of each connection to
commonly known or reasonably foreseeable attacks.
Depending on your circumstances, appropriate
assessments may range from having a knowledgeable
employee run off-the-shelf security software to having
an independent professional conduct a full-scale
security audit.
●● Don’t store sensitive
consumer data on any
computer with an internet
connection unless it’s
essential for conducting
your business.
●● Encrypt sensitive
information that you send
to third parties over public networks (like the internet),
and encrypt sensitive information that is stored on
your computer network, laptops, or portable storage
devices used by your employees. Consider also
encrypting email transmissions within your business.
●● Regularly run up-to-date anti-malware programs on
individual computers and on servers on your network.
●● Check expert websites (such as www.us-cert.gov)
and your software vendors’ websites regularly for
alerts about new vulnerabilities, and implement
policies for installing vendor-approved patches to
correct problems.
13. 3 Lock It
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●● Restrict employees’ ability to download unauthorized
software. Software downloaded to devices that
connect to your network (computers, smartphones,
and tablets) could be used to distribute malware.
●● Scan computers on your network to identify and
profile the operating system and open network
services. If you find services that you don’t need,
disable them to prevent hacks or other potential
security problems. For example, if email service or
an internet connection is not necessary on a certain
computer, consider closing the ports to those services
on that computer to prevent unauthorized access to
that machine.
●● When you receive or transmit credit card information
or other sensitive financial data, use Transport
Layer Security (TLS) encryption or another secure
connection that protects the information in transit.
14. 12
●● Pay particular attention to the security of your web
applications—the software used to give information to
visitors to your website and to retrieve information
from them. Web applications may be particularly
vulnerable to a variety of hack attacks. In one variation
called an “injection attack,” a hacker inserts malicious
commands into what looks like a legitimate request
for information. Once in your system, hackers transfer
sensitive information from your network to their
computers. Relatively simple defenses against these
attacks are available from a variety of sources.
SECURITY CHECK
Question:
We encrypt the financial data customers submit on our
website. But once we receive it, we decrypt it and email
it over the internet to our branch offices in regular text. Is
there a safer practice?
Answer:
Yes. Regular email is not a secure method for sending
sensitive data. The better practice is to encrypt any
transmission that contains information that could be used by
fraudsters or identity thieves.
15. 3 Lock It
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Authentication
●● Control access to sensitive information by requiring
that employees use “strong” passwords. Tech security
experts say the longer the password, the better.
Because simple passwords—like common dictionary
words—can be guessed easily, insist that employees
choose passwords with a mix of letters, numbers, and
characters. Require an employee’s user name and
password to be different. Require password changes
when appropriate—for example, following a breach.
►► Consider using multi-factor authentication, such as
requiring the use of a password and a code sent
by different methods.
●● Explain to employees why it’s against company
policy to share their passwords or post them near
their workstations.
●● Use password-activated screen savers to lock
employee computers after a period of inactivity.
●● Lock out users who don’t enter the correct password
within a designated number of log-on attempts.
●● Warn employees about possible calls from identity
thieves attempting to deceive them into giving out
their passwords by impersonating members of your
IT staff. Let employees know that calls like this are
always fraudulent, and that no one should be asking
them to reveal their passwords.
16. 14
●● When installing new software, immediately change
vendor-supplied default passwords to a more secure
strong password.
●● Caution employees against transmitting sensitive
personally identifying data—Social Security numbers,
passwords, account information—via email. Unencrypted
email is not a secure way to transmit information.
17. 3 Lock It
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Laptop Security
●● Restrict the use of laptops to those employees who
need them to perform their jobs.
●● Assess whether sensitive information really needs
to be stored on a laptop. If not, delete it with a
“wiping” program that overwrites data on the laptop.
Deleting files using standard keyboard commands
isn’t sufficient because data may remain on the
laptop’s hard drive. Wiping programs are available at
most office supply stores.
●● Require employees
to store laptops in a
secure place. Even
when laptops are in use,
consider using cords and
locks to secure laptops to
employees’ desks.
●● Consider allowing laptop users to only access
sensitive information, but not to store the information
on their laptops. Under this approach, the information
is stored on a secure central computer and the
laptops function as terminals that display information
from the central computer, but do not store it. The
information could be further protected by requiring
the use of a token, “smart card,” thumb print, or other
biometric—as well as a password—to access the
central computer.
18. 16
●● If a laptop contains sensitive data, encrypt it and
configure it so users can’t download any software or
change the security settings without approval from
your IT specialists. Consider adding an “auto-destroy”
function so that data on a computer that is reported
stolen will be destroyed when the thief uses the
computer to try to get on the internet.
●● Train employees to be mindful of security when
they’re on the road. They should never leave a laptop
visible in a car, at a hotel luggage stand, or packed
in checked luggage unless directed to by airport
security. If someone must leave a laptop in a car,
it should be locked in a trunk. Everyone who goes
through airport security should keep an eye on their
laptop as it goes on the belt.
19. 3 Lock It
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Firewalls
●● Use a firewall to protect your computer from hacker
attacks while it is connected to a network, especially
the internet. A firewall is software or hardware
designed to block hackers from accessing your
computer. A properly configured firewall makes it
tougher for hackers to locate your computer and get
into your programs and files.
SECURITY CHECK
Question:
Our account staff needs access to our database of customer
financial information. To make it easier to remember, we just
use our company name as the password. Could that create
a security problem?
Answer:
Yes. Hackers will first try words like “password,” your
company name, the software’s default password, and
other easy-to-guess choices. They’ll also use programs
that run through common English words and dates. To
make it harder for them to crack your system, select strong
passwords—the longer, the better—that use a combination
of letters, symbols, and numbers. Don’t store passwords in
clear text. Use a password management system that adds
salt—random data—to hashed passwords and consider
using slow hash functions.
20. 18
●● Determine whether you should install a “border”
firewall where your network connects to the internet.
A border firewall separates your network from the
internet and may prevent an attacker from gaining
access to a computer on the network where you store
sensitive information. Set “access controls”—settings
that determine which devices and traffic get through
the firewall—to allow only trusted devices with a
legitimate business need to access the network. Since
the protection a firewall provides is only as effective
as its access controls, review them periodically.
●● If some computers on your network store sensitive
information while others do not, consider using
additional firewalls to protect the computers with
sensitive information.
Wireless and Remote Access
●● Determine if you use
wireless devices like
smartphones, tablets, or
inventory scanners or
cell phones to connect
to your computer
network or to transmit
sensitive information.
●● If you do, consider limiting who can use a wireless
connection to access your computer network. You can
make it harder for an intruder to access the network
by limiting the wireless devices that can connect to
your network.
21. 3 Lock It
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●● Encrypt the information you send over your wireless
network, so that nearby attackers can’t eavesdrop on
these communications. Look for a wireless router that
has Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2) capability and
devices that support WPA2.
●● Use encryption if you allow remote access to your
computer network by employees or by service
providers, such as companies that troubleshoot
and update software you use to process credit card
purchases. Consider implementing multi-factor
authentication for access to your network.
22. 20
Digital Copiers
Your information security plan
should cover the digital copiers
your company uses. The hard
drive in a digital copier stores
data about the documents it
copies, prints, scans, faxes, or
emails. If you don’t take steps
to protect that data, it can be stolen from the hard drive,
either by remote access or by extraction once the drive has
been removed.
Here are some tips about safeguards for sensitive data
stored on the hard drives of digital copiers:
●● Get your IT staff involved when you’re thinking about
getting a copier. Employees responsible for securing
your computers also should be responsible for
securing data on digital copiers.
●● When you’re buying or leasing a copier, consider
data security features offered, either as standard
equipment or as optional add-on kits. Typically,
these features involve encryption and overwriting.
Encryption scrambles the data on the hard drive so it
can be read only by particular software. Overwriting—
also known as file wiping or shredding—replaces the
existing data with random characters, making it harder
for someone to reconstruct a file.
23. 3 Lock It
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●● Once you choose a copier, take advantage of all its
security features. You may be able to set the number
of times data is overwritten—generally, the more
times the data is overwritten, the safer it is from being
retrieved. In addition, make it an office practice to
securely overwrite the entire hard drive at least once
a month.
●● When you return or dispose of a copier, find out
whether you can have the hard drive removed and
destroyed, or overwrite the data on the hard drive.
Have a skilled technician remove the hard drive to
avoid the risk of breaking the machine.
To find out more, read Copier Data Security: A Guide for
Businesses at ftc.gov/privacy-and-security (click on Data
Security).
Detecting Breaches
●● To detect network
breaches when they
occur, consider using
an intrusion detection
system. To be effective,
it must be updated
frequently to address
new types of hacking.
●● Maintain central log files of security-related
information to monitor activity on your network so
that you can spot and respond to attacks. If there
is an attack on your network, the log will provide
information that can identify the computers that have
been compromised.
24. 22
●● Monitor incoming traffic for signs that someone is
trying to hack in. Keep an eye out for activity from new
users, multiple log-in attempts from unknown users or
computers, and higher-than-average traffic at unusual
times of the day.
●● Monitor outgoing traffic for signs of a data breach.
Watch for unexpectedly large amounts of data being
transmitted from your system to an unknown user. If
large amounts of information are being transmitted
from your network, investigate to make sure the
transmission is authorized.
●● Have in place and implement a breach response plan.
See page 30 for more information.
25. 3 Lock It
23
SECURITY CHECK
Question:
I’m not really a “tech” type. Are there steps our computer
people can take to protect our system from common hack
attacks?
Answer:
Yes. There are simple fixes to protect your computers from
some of the most common vulnerabilities. For example, a
threat called an “SQL injection attack” can give fraudsters
access to sensitive data on your system.
Protect your systems by keeping software updated and
conducting periodic security reviews for your network.
Bookmark the websites of groups like the Open Web
Application Security Project, www.owasp.org, or SANS
(SysAdmin, Audit, Network, Security) Institute’s The Top
Cyber Security Risks, www.sans.org/top20, for up-to-date
information on the latest threats—and fixes. And check
with your software vendors for patches that address new
vulnerabilities. For more tips on keeping sensitive data
secure, read Start with Security: A Guide for Business at
ftc.gov/startwithsecurity.
26. 24
Employee Training
Your data security plan may look great on paper, but it’s
only as strong as the employees who implement it. Take
time to explain the rules to your staff, and train them to
spot security vulnerabilities. Periodic training emphasizes
the importance you place on meaningful data security
practices. A well-trained workforce is the best defense
against identity theft and data breaches.
●● Check references or do background checks before
hiring employees who will have access to sensitive data.
●● Ask every new employee to sign an agreement to
follow your company’s confidentiality and security
standards for handling sensitive data. Make sure
they understand that abiding by your company’s data
security plan is an essential part of their duties.
●● Regularly remind employees of your company’s
policy—and any legal requirement—to keep customer
information secure and confidential.
27. 3 Lock It
25
●● Know which employees have access to consumers’
sensitive personally identifying information. Pay
particular attention to data like Social Security
numbers and account numbers. Limit access to
personal information to employees with a “need
to know.”
●● Have a procedure in place for
making sure that workers who
leave your employ or transfer to
another part of the company no
longer have access to sensitive
information. Terminate their
passwords and collect keys and
identification cards as part of the
check-out routine.
●● Create a “culture of security” by implementing a
regular schedule of employee training. Update
employees as you find out about new risks and
vulnerabilities. Make sure training includes employees
at satellite offices, temporary help, and seasonal
workers. If employees don’t attend, consider blocking
their access to the network.
●● Train employees to recognize security threats. Tell
them how to report suspicious activity and publicly
reward employees who alert you to vulnerabilities.
Visit ftc.gov/startwithsecurity to show them videos
on vulnerabilities that could affect your company,
along with practical guidance on how to reduce data
security risks.
28. 26
●● Tell employees about your company policies
regarding keeping information secure and
confidential. Post reminders in areas where sensitive
information is used or stored, as well as where
employees congregate. Make sure your policies cover
employees who telecommute or access sensitive data
from home or an offsite location.
●● Teach employees about the dangers of spear
phishing—emails containing information that makes
the emails look legitimate. These emails may appear
to come from someone within your company,
generally someone in a position of authority. Make
it office policy to independently verify any emails
requesting sensitive information. When verifying, do
not reply to the email and do not use links, phone
numbers, or websites contained in the email.
●● Warn employees about phone phishing. Train them
to be suspicious of unknown callers claiming to need
account numbers to process an order or asking for
customer or employee contact information. Make
it office policy to double-check by contacting the
company using a phone number you know is genuine.
●● Require employees to notify you immediately if there is a
potential security breach, such as a lost or stolen laptop.
●● Impose disciplinary measures for security
policy violations.
●● For computer security tips, tutorials, and quizzes
for everyone on your staff, visit www.ftc.gov/
OnGuardOnline.
29. 3 Lock It
27
Security Practices of Contractors and
Service Providers
Your company’s security practices depend on the
people who implement them, including contractors and
service providers.
●● Before you outsource any of your business
functions—payroll, web hosting, customer call center
operations, data processing, or the like—investigate
the company’s data security practices and compare
their standards to yours. If possible, visit their facilities.
●● Put your security expectations in writing in contracts
with service providers. Then, don’t just take their
word for it—verify compliance.
●● Insist that your service providers notify you of any
security incidents they experience, even if the
incidents may not have led to an actual compromise
of your data.
30. 28
4. PITCH IT.
Properly dispose of what you no longer need.
What looks like a sack of trash to you can be a gold mine
for an identity thief. Leaving credit card receipts or papers
or CDs with personally identifying information in a dumpster
facilitates fraud and exposes consumers to the risk of
identity theft. By properly disposing of sensitive information,
you ensure that it cannot be read or reconstructed.
●● Implement information disposal practices that are
reasonable and appropriate to prevent unauthorized
access to—or use of—personally identifying
information. Reasonable measures for your operation
are based on the sensitivity of the information, the
costs and benefits of different disposal methods, and
changes in technology.
SECURITY CHECK
Question:
My company collects credit applications from customers.
The form requires them to give us lots of financial
information. Once we’re finished with the applications,
we’re careful to throw them away. Is that sufficient?
Answer:
No. Have a policy in place to ensure that sensitive
paperwork is unreadable before you throw it away. Burn it,
shred it, or pulverize it to make sure identity thieves can’t
steal it from your trash.
31. 4 Pitch It
29
●● Effectively dispose of paper records by shredding,
burning, or pulverizing them before discarding.
Make shredders available throughout the workplace,
including next to the photocopier.
●● When disposing of old computers and portable
storage devices, use software for securely erasing
data, usually called wipe utility programs. They’re
inexpensive and can provide better results by
overwriting the entire hard drive so that the files
are no longer recoverable. Deleting files using the
keyboard or mouse commands usually isn’t sufficient
because the files may continue to exist on the
computer’s hard drive and could be retrieved easily.
●● Make sure employees who work from home follow
the same procedures for disposing of sensitive
documents and old computers and portable
storage devices.
●● If you use consumer credit reports for a business
purpose, you may be subject to the FTC’s Disposal
Rule. For more information, see Disposing of
Consumer Report Information? Rule Tells How at
ftc.gov/privacy-and-security (click on Credit Reporting).
32. 30
5. PLAN AHEAD.
Create a plan for responding to
security incidents.
Taking steps to protect data in your possession can
go a long way toward preventing a security breach.
Nevertheless, breaches can happen. Here’s how
you can reduce the impact on your business, your
employees, and your customers:
●● Have a plan in place to respond to security
incidents. Designate a senior member of your staff
to coordinate and implement the response plan.
●● If a computer is compromised, disconnect it
immediately from your network.
●● Investigate security incidents immediately and
take steps to close off existing vulnerabilities or
threats to personal information.
●● Consider whom to notify in the event of
an incident, both inside and outside your
organization. You may need to notify consumers,
law enforcement, customers, credit bureaus, and
other businesses that may be affected by the
breach. In addition, many states and the federal
bank regulatory agencies have laws or guidelines
addressing data breaches. Consult your attorney.
33. 5 Plan Ahead
31
SECURITY CHECK
Question:
I own a small business. Aren’t these precautions going to
cost me a mint to implement?
Answer:
No. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to data security,
and what’s right for you depends on the nature of your
business and the kind of information you collect from
your customers. Some of the most effective security
measures—using strong passwords, locking up sensitive
paperwork, training your staff, etc.—will cost you next
to nothing and you’ll find free or low-cost security
tools at non-profit websites dedicated to data security.
Furthermore, it’s cheaper in the long run to invest in better
data security than to lose the goodwill of your customers,
defend yourself in legal actions, and face other possible
consequences of a data breach.
34. 32
Additional Resources
These websites and publications have more information on
securing sensitive data:
Start with Security
www.ftc.gov/startwithsecurity
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Computer Security Resource Center
www.csrc.nist.gov
SANS (SysAdmin, Audit, Network, Security) Institute
Critical Security Controls
www.sans.org/top20
United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team
(US-CERT)
www.us-cert.gov
OnGuard Online
www.ftc.gov/OnGuardOnline
Small Business Administration
www.sba.gov/cybersecurity
Better Business Bureau
www.bbb.org/cybersecurity
35. About the FTC
The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent,
deceptive, and unfair practices in the marketplace and to
provide information to businesses to help them comply with
the law. For free compliance resources visit the Business
Center at business.ftc.gov.
Opportunity to Comment
The National Small Business Ombudsman and 10 Regional
Fairness Boards collect comments from small businesses
about federal compliance and enforcement activities.
Each year, the Ombudsman evaluates the conduct of
these activities and rates each agency’s responsiveness
to small businesses. Small businesses can comment to
the Ombudsman without fear of reprisal. To comment, call
toll-free 1-888-REGFAIR (1-888-734-3247) or go to
www.sba.gov/ombudsman.