Shredding Services in St. Louis: Why should my business shred business documents?

When it comes to protecting your business’s sensitive documents and customer information, the old days are sounding pretty good, aren’t they? Technology and smart criminals have made shredding services in St. Louis a critical part of a businesses operations.

It really hasn’t been that long since we were worried about someone going through our trash to steal financial information such as bank statements, credit card information, tax records, private information, customer data, and other confidential information.

Then came the cyber criminals attacking the world’s largest companies, which continues to this day. And with this came an explosion of bad actors attacking businesses of all sizes, including the smallest of businesses.

As business owners (and consumers), make no mistake we are under attack. In fact, according to a recent report from IBM, the average cost of a data breach in 2023 reached an all-time high of $4.45 million. Even small businesses are not immune, as nearly 60% of small businesses shut down within six months of a major breach.

This article focuses on the purging of old records and information, whether in paper or electronic form. As experts in shredding services in St. Louis, We will give you some ideas and tips on how to reduce your risk and some cost-effective ideas to save you a little money along the way. Also, learn more in our new guide: how data privacy regulations are changing to protect businesses.

So, whether your business is an old hand when it comes to purging (but might be a little tardy in keeping up), or you haven’t pulled the trigger, this article should give you encouragement to shred business documents.

What is document purging?

Document purging—many call it document shredding—is the systematic elimination of outdated or unnecessary secure documents from a company’s records inventory. While many people associate this with paper shredding, purging also includes secure digital file destruction. This encompasses physical documents, such as paper records, and digital files stored in hard drives.

In short, regular document purging serves as a proactive measure to manage information overload, maintain data security, and ensure compliance with regulations.

As a leader in shredding services in St. Louis, we recommend at least one purge per year for most businesses, some even more often if they store highly confidential documents. By systematically identifying and disposing of obsolete documents, businesses can streamline their operations, optimize storage space, and mitigate the risks associated with unauthorized access to sensitive information.

We recommend our clients establish clear policies and procedures for both physical document destruction and digital records.

Now let’s dive into the details.

Why should you shred business documents with sensitive information?

Many companies hold on to the old ways of securing business documents, which is often simply storing them in boxes or file cabinets in an unused office or an off-site document storage facility.

Following are five good reasons not to do that:

1.    Data Security. A security breach can have far-reaching implications, from the obvious fallout of your sensitive information getting into the hands of bad guys to your company’s reputation being tarnished. Data breaches often lead to financial losses, legal trouble, and long-term damage to customer trust. Whoever said there is no such thing as bad publicity didn’t know what they were talking about.

2.    Regulatory Compliance. Every business has some level of regulations it must follow; some more than others, like financial institutions and healthcare. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a well-known example. Failing to comply with these regulations can result in hefty fines and lawsuits, as well as increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies.

3.    Space Management. Office space is pricey these days. In St. Louis, it is common to pay more than $20 per square foot, and even much more in higher demand areas. Why should valuable office space be taken by piles of boxes? The accumulation of paper and electronic records not only clutters workspaces, it clutters your IT systems. It breeds inefficiency and drains productivity. Shred business documents as soon as you can!

4.    Environmental Benefits. Recycling paper and electronics through regular shredding and disposal reduces your impact on the environment. Partnering with a shredding company that offers eco-friendly disposal methods can enhance your company’s sustainability efforts.

5.    Save Money. Depending on how far behind you are, you may be able to save on storage costs or external storage when you shred business documents. Regular disposal will also help keep you away from non-compliance of regulations, which could be very expensive. Additionally, reducing clutter improves workflow efficiency, potentially saving your business time and money in the long run.

Regular document purging and shredding is beginning to sound pretty good, isn’t it?

Let’s talk today about securely destroying important information

The Role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Document Security

Artificial intelligence is transforming the way businesses protect sensitive documents (and giving bad actors that want to steal it new ways to do it). See our recent article on how you can better manage the risks of AI impacting your small to medium business.

AI-powered tools can monitor access to digital files in real time, detecting anomalies and potential data breaches before they occur. Additionally, AI can automate document categorization, helping businesses ensure compliance with retention policies by flagging files that should be deleted or archived.

However, AI also presents new risks, including AI-generated phishing scams that trick employees into exposing sensitive information. Businesses should leverage AI responsibly to enhance security rather than create vulnerabilities.

We are continually adding new capabilities to go with our shredding services in St. Louis.

Legal and Financial Ramifications of Poor Document Management

Failing to properly dispose of sensitive documents can lead to severe legal and financial consequences.

Companies have faced multi-million-dollar fines for non-compliance with regulations like HIPAA, FACTA, and GDPR. In 2023, a healthcare company was fined $1.25 million for failing to securely dispose of patient records. Beyond fines, businesses also risk lawsuits from customers and vendors whose data is exposed due to improper document handling. A strong document retention and destruction policy can help prevent these costly mistakes.

Cyber Threats Beyond Document Storage

Cybercriminals don’t just target online databases—they exploit weaknesses in document storage and disposal.

Ransomware attacks often begin when hackers gain access to outdated or unprotected business records. Social engineering tactics, including AI-generated deepfake scams, trick employees into granting access to sensitive documents.

Businesses must be proactive by securing both physical and digital records to prevent data from becoming a liability. Implementing secure digital erasure techniques and partnering with a trusted document destruction service are key steps in mitigating these risks. And, shred unnecessary business documents as soon as possible.

One final thought. We haven’t focused much on what happens to a customer’s trust in your business if your data—their data—is stolen. No matter how well you clean up the mess, there will always be a lingering doubt.

Secure Document Destruction is a leader in shredding services in St. Louis.

Add button here: Contact us today to reduce your risks

Frequently Asked Questions

When should you shred business documents?

Businesses should shred business documents according to legal retention periods, typically every three to seven years, depending on the document type and industry regulations. Sensitive documents should be shredded as soon as they are no longer needed. Read some eye-popping issues on how bad actors are trying to scam your tax returns.

Does anyone shred documents for free?

Some community shredding events offer free shredding services in St. Louis, often hosted by local governments or businesses. However, for ongoing business needs, professional shredding services in St. Louis provide the most secure option.

What types of business documents should be shredded?

Shred business documents containing sensitive business, financial, or personal information, such as tax returns and tax records, employee files, client information, and bank statements.

What are the benefits of business shredding services in St. Louis?

Shredding protects against identity theft, ensures regulatory compliance, frees up office space, and helps maintain business security. Onsite shredding is the most secure method. Shred bins are placed throughout your business and are emptied on a regular schedule. See more insight on document shredding for businesses: onsite versus offsite shredding.

The shredding process is straightforward. A shred truck comes to your business location, the bins are emptied into the truck and everything is shredded at that time. Offsite shredding is a process where your documents are loaded into a truck and taken to an offsite drop-off location to be shredded at a later time.

What is the best way to shred a large volume of business documents?

For large volumes, document shredding services are the most efficient and secure option. SDD of St. Louis only provides onsite shredding, which we believe is the most effective method. Customers receive a certificate of destruction when the job is completed, providing further peace of mind.

There are a lot of choices when it comes to securely destroying information that is important to you, and it is easy to be fooled when considering the options.

The most secure method is utilizing a company that destroys your documents on site. Secure Document Destruction of St. Louis (SDD) utilizes its high-tech trucks that come to your business or home location and destroy your information on site before leaving.

Another consideration is using a company that is locally owned and operated. SDD of St. Louis is one of the most successful St. Louis document shredding companies and is 100% owned by residents of St. Louis.

There are four significant benefits of utilizing SDD of St. Louis for your document shredding needs.

1. Local Operations. We focus only on the greater St. Louis area, so all of your money stays in the market to help create jobs.
2. Deal With an Owner. When you work with SDD you will likely talk to an owner during the process to become an SDD customer and you will deal with an owner when they come to your business to empty your secure bins into our trucks to destroy your documents on the spot. All of our owners live in the St. Louis area and are involved in the day-to-day operation of the business.
3. Flexible Service. Our service can flex with your needs. For example, many of our customers are in businesses that have busy seasons, such as accountants and retailers. If your busy season requires your secure bins to be emptied twice a month instead of once, we are happy to do it. Or, if business is light we can stretch out the time between pickups. Try getting a large out of town company to do that. Also, every customer has our personal contact information. If you have questions or issues just contact us by cell, text or email. Our goal is to handle every customer inquiry on the same business day.
4. One Simple Price. There are no hidden fees that show up after you’ve signed the contract like disposal fees, environmental fees or fuel surcharges. Our low overhead and tight operating procedures allow us to offer prices consistently lower than our competitors. Also, unlike all of the large national firms, we do not have a binding contract that commits your business to us for a fixed period. We only ask you to sign a simple service agreement which allows you to cancel at any time with no penalties. There are no strings attached in our agreement.

There are three things you can count on when you work with SDD of St. Louis: Great service, great people and great prices.

U.S. businesses take a lot of risk when it comes to how mobile devices are used in their day-to-day operations.

In 2022, only 15 percent of small and medium businesses provided smartphones to employees according to research by Maximizing Mobiles Value. Another 40 percent expected employees to use their personal phones for business.

For that 40 percent, we suggest that is penny wise and pound foolish without the proper cybersecurity safeguards in place.

In this article we will focus on the risks to companies associated with mobile devices and steps you can take to protect your company and your information.

Make smartphones really smart to protect your company’s sensitive data.

The challenge for small and medium businesses is significant. On the one hand, most companies can’t do without smartphones, tablets and laptops. On the other hand, sophisticated cybercriminals are finding more and more ways to breach digital firewalls and steal valuable information about the company, its customers and vendors.

While there is no one silver bullet when it comes to data security, we know that better managing access and authentication of users can have a significant impact in securing mobile devices.

There are five areas of access and authentication that can be improved.

1. Weak password policies impact mobile device security

We all do it. We all use passwords that are easy for a hacker to guess. Or worse, we use the same password, easy or otherwise, across multiple accounts.

There are many risks with weak passwords. At the top of the list is unauthorized access to mobile devices and all the scrumptious data thieves seek. It would be interesting to know how many people who read this article use their birthday or, worse, “123456” as a password. They might as well put a sticker on their phone that says, “steal me.”

When employees reuse passwords across multiple accounts, a breach in one platform can lead to a cascade of security breaches. It’s not uncommon that an employee will use the same password for their corporate email account as they do for a personal social media profile.

The severity of these cyberattacks becomes glaringly evident when you examine real-world breaches. In one of the largest breaches ever, more than 142 million individuals in the Equifax system had their personal information stolen due to a vulnerability that exploited weak password practices. Equifax failed to update a security certificate, which could have been a minor issue except for a single, easily guessable password that went unchanged for months.

2. Lack of Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Companies serious about data security have implemented multi-factor authentication, sometimes called two-factor authentication. In short, MFA is a second step in the authentication process after a password that creates a more robust and secure process to get access to important personal or company information.

MFA can take many forms, from a system-generated PIN to a fingerprint or face recognition. MFA’s requirement for a second layer of information has several key benefits:

• Additional Protection Beyond a Password. Even if a cyber thief gets  your password they will have to go through another layer of work to access your information.
• Protects Stolen Devices. It helps prevent unauthorized access because the thief would need the device and second authentication factor to get access.
• Enhanced Compliance. MFA is often a requirement for compliance with data regulations such as HIPAA.

While some companies resist MFA because of the perceived complexity, user pushback or cost considerations, there are some significant security risks if it is not implemented. Some of the most common security threats are increased vulnerability to cyber theft, loss of personal data, financial loss, productivity loss and, not the least important, a hit on your company’s reputation if your data is stolen.

3. Use of Biometric Authentication

Biometric authentication methods such as fingerprint and facial recognition address many of the limitations of PINs and passwords.

Biometric data is unique to each individual, which makes it exceedingly difficult for attackers to replicate or impersonate. This approach is also much more user-friendly and convenient. Users can unlock their devices or access sensitive information with a simple touch or glance, eliminating the need to remember passwords and PINs.

Biometric authentication has had quite a few high profile successes. Various financial institutions and payment platforms have integrated it as a part of online transactions. In healthcare, biometric authentication ensures only authorized personnel can access patients’ medical records.

4. Neglecting Physical Security

The significance of physical security measures for mobile phones and other mobile devices cannot be overstated. Physical security measures play a pivotal role in preventing unauthorized access in the event of loss or theft.

Device locks and passcodes are a fundamental practice for most businesses. Adoption of biometric authentication is expanding as most modern mobile devices feature methods like fingerprint scanners or facial recognition. And many businesses have the capability to wipe mobile devices remotely to protect data.

There are a variety of effective tools to help companies physically secure mobile devices:

• Device Locks
• Biometric Authentication
• Secure Storage
• Anti-Theft Cables
• GPS Tracking
• Remote Wipe

It is in your company’s best interest to closely monitor where and how devices devoted to the business are being used.

5. Downloads from Unverified Sources

Unverified sources for mobile apps typically refer to places other than official app stores, where users can download apps without undergoing the strict vetting and review processes that official stores, like the Apple Store or Google Play Store, employ.

Some common examples of unverified sources for apps are websites, third-party app stores, file-sharing platforms, phishing attacks via email attachments and links, social  media and forums and unofficial app markets.

The risks are significant because so many businesses depend on the personal cell phone and other mobile devices of their employees. Here are several:

• Malware and Spyware. Unverified sources often host malicious apps which can infect devices and compromise data security.
• Data Theft. Malicious apps can access sensitive data, such as contacts, messages and passwords, and transfer this information to cyber criminals.
• Privacy Invasion. Some apps collect excessive user data without consent, violating privacy rights and potentially exposing sensitive personal information.
• Device Vulnerabilities. These apps may contain vulnerabilities that can be exploited by attackers to gain unauthorized access to devices.
• Financial Fraud. Fake or rogue apps can deceive users into making fraudulent purchases or disclosing financial information.

Restricting app installations to trusted sources like official app stores offers numerous benefits:

• Verified Apps. Official app stores vet and verify apps before listing them, reducing the risk of malware and malicious mobile applications invading your business information.
• Regular Updates. Apps from official stores will receive regular security updates and patches to address known vulnerabilities.
• Privacy Protections. Trusted sources enforce privacy policies, reducing the likelihood of apps collecting excessive private information from users.
• Use Reviews and Ratings. Users can rely on reviews and ratings in official app stores to gauge an app’s trustworthiness and quality.
• Legal Protections. Using trusted sources ensures compliance with app store policies and legal regulations.
• Customer Support. Trust app stores offer support in the event of app-related issues.

By restricting app installations to trusted sources, organizations can significantly mitigate the risks associated with malicious apps and enhance mobile device security and data privacy.

6. Wi-Fi Hacking of Data is a Growing Problem

Data security issues related to access and authentication problems in public Wi-Fi networks can significantly impact the confidentiality and integrity of your company’s data. Here are several concerns:

• Weak or Default Passwords. Many Wi-Fi hotspots and networks still use default usernames and passwords, which are often easy to guess or publicly available. Weak or unchanged credentials provide an open invitation to attackers, allowing them to easily gain unauthorized access to your network and sensitive data.
• Unauthorized Access. Inadequate access control measures can lead to unauthorized users gaining entry to your Wi-Fi network. This can result from weak or shared passwords, improper authentication methods or the absence of access restrictions.
• Insufficient Encryption. Weak encryption can expose data to eavesdropping and interception, allowing attackers to easily capture and decipher data transmitted over the Wi-Fi network.
• Rogue Access Points. Unauthorized access points or rogue hotspots set up by attackers masquerading as service providers can lure unsuspecting users, leading to data being intercepted.
• Shared Credentials. In some cases, multiple users share a single set of credentials for Wi-Fi access. This lack of individual authentication can make it challenging to trace actions to specific users and can lead to unauthorized access if credentials are shared or compromised.
• Failure to Rotate Credentials. Regularly changing Wi-Fi passwords and access credentials is essential for security.

It is critical for your company to implement strong measures such as encryption, enforcing complex and unique passwords, regularly changing passwords, implementing MFA and keeping firmware up to date.

Utilize best practices for access control and authentication on mobile devices.

Mobile device management is crucial for today’s businesses, whether your company uses Apple iPhone/IOS or Android phones and devices. Many of the tips and security solutions in this article are relatively easy for a company to require of its employees who are using mobile devices for business purposes.

As this article has underscored, access control and authentication stand as the first line of defense for mobile data security against unauthorized access and data breaches of sensitive company information. Weak passwords, inadequate authentication measures or neglecting physical security can leave mobile devices and their data vulnerable to a host of threats.

To combat these mobile security threats, companies must step up to this growing threat with security features such as robust password security policies, multi-factor authentication, biometric safeguards and physical security measures. The importance of these measures cannot be overstated.

Residents of St. Louis County now have a way to get alerts via email or phone when documents with their name are recorded with St. Louis County. The service is free.

The service is called Property Fraud Alert (PFA) and it is designed specifically to address the rapidly growing crimes of property and mortgage fraud.

It provides a valuable service in a time when identity thieves are relentlessly looking for ways to defraud individuals. We have seen the impact of thieves filing false tax returns. Well, those same thieves could file paperwork to transfer ownership of your home to them.

It sounds crazy, but it’s not. It’s a real threat.

The sign-up process is very simple. Go here on the St. Louis County website and you’ll be done in less than a minute.