Nearly one in six American organizations suffered from fraud in the last two years, according to the 13th Global Fraud Surveyfrom EY – nearly double the rate measured in 2012. While mitigating external risks is all well and good, ensure that you look inside your enterprise as well – all the way to the cubicle.
According to Shred-it, these five areas are hot spots for possible fraud in the office:
- Printers: If your printer does not require a security code to complete a print job, confidential information may be printed and left at printing stations.
- Non-Secure Recycling or Wastepaper Bins: A shred-all policy eliminates guesswork in what materials are OK to throw away, ensuring that employees don’t leave confidential information in the bin.
- Messy Desks: Loose paperwork strewn over desktops make offices vulnerable to snooping and data theft, as well as leaving material vulnerable to building maintenance and outside vendors. Clear desk policies and lockable storage units can help mitigate this messy risk.
- IT Device Storage: Electronic storage devices such as remote hard drives can be convenient, but they do increase the risk of data loss. Require that storage devices be checked out from IT, and securely destroyed at the end of use.
- Car/Homes/Hotels: In the increasingly mobile workplace, employees could set up office next to anywhere, potentially leaving sensitive files in unsecure areas.
