Are You Aware of the Data Loss Risk Inside Your Copier?
Many people don’t realize that the vast majority of digital photocopiers made since 2002 contain a hard drive. And these hard drives contain images of copies made by that copier. So, if anyone has ever copied sensitive documents, such as payroll information with social security numbers, customer or member credit card information, confidential medical data of employees, or anything else that should be kept confidential, that information is likely still stored on the copier’s hard drive. This is a veritable gold mine for data thieves.
CBS News recently ran an excellent story on this emerging data risk. The story is located at http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6412572n&tag=contentMain;contentBody
It’s absolutely amazing what data was found on the copiers obtained by CBS. And it could easily be downloaded and accessed using software readily available on the Internet.
The lessons learned from this story are clear. Every organization should take precautions when disposing of photocopiers, even if they are being returned to the leasing company. It is easy for previously used copiers to end up in the hands of someone who is looking for data that can be used to perpetrate fraud. Hard drives should be thoroughly wiped clean prior to discarding copiers or returning them to the leasing company.
By now, most people are aware of the importance of proper cleansing of hard drives on desktop and laptop computers when disposing of these pieces of equipment. But many people will be surprised to find out that there is a permanent record of everything they have photocopied!