Ever lost a memory stick?

Posted on 16th March 20203rd February 2020 by megan

Dealing with USB memory stick disposal correctly is so important these days; it could mean make or break for a business, as the recent case brought by the Information Commissioner against Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL) shows.

After a member of the public found a USB memory stick the company had lost, HAL was fined £120,000 for failing to ensure the personal data held on its network was properly secured.

The memory stick was discovered on October 16, 2017 after it had been lost by an employee.

It contained 76 folders and over 1,000 files, and it had not been encrypted or protected by a password.

The person who found it took it to a local library and looked at the material on it and passed it to a national newspaper.

There was a small amount of sensitive and personal data held on it, including a training video which revealed 10 people’s names, passport numbers, dates of birth, and details concerning up to 50 aviation security personnel employed by HAL.

ICO Director of Investigations, Steve Eckersley, said: “Data protection is a boardroom issue and it is imperative that businesses have the policies, procedures and training in place to minimise any vulnerabilities of the personal information that has been entrusted to them.”

The ICO said its investigation found just 2% of the workforce of 6,500 had been trained in data protection.

The investigation also found the widespread use of removable media such as memory sticks in contravention of HAL’s own policies.

Once the company was aware of the matter, it reported what happened to the police, acted to contain the incident, and took on a specialist to monitor the internet and the dark web.

It took action to remedy the situation.

Read more about the case, which was brought under the old Data Protection Act because it pre-dated the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) here.

Under GDPR rules, serious breaches can cost companies fines of up to 4% of their worldwide annual turnover, or 20 Million Euros, whichever is the higher.

Taclus Confidential Managing Director David Lovatt said: “It’s easy to forget about removable media such as memory sticks and image cards, but they could cost us dearly if we don’t get them shredded securely. Ensure all your old memory sticks are collected and shredded by a company who can give you a certificate of destruction.”

Why you should choose Taclus Confidential – A South Wales secure shredding company

We offer confidential paper waste, removable media, and hard drive destruction services at affordable prices.

Taclus Confidential holds the accreditations for ISO 9001:2015 for quality management and ISO14001:2015 for environmental management and has been certified by independent auditors IQS for both.

Taclus has also been selected as the confidential waste management partner for Keep Wales Tidy.

If you need advice on dealing with the secure destruction of your confidential waste, contact our friendly and efficient team on 02920 676 714, or email [email protected]

Did You Know?

Posted on 2nd March 202030th January 2020 by megan

Weird facts about shredding that few people realise!

Did you know that the first paper shredder was invented by Mr Abbot Augustus Low from New York in 1909 – “to offer a more compact way of disposing of waste paper”. In 1935, a German engineer named Adolf Ehinger created another shredding machine and he did so in a hurry…..its purpose was to shred hundreds of volumes of anti-Nazi propaganda before Hitler’s secret police found it.
Did you know that cross cut shredders became the norm after 1979? This happened after Iranian revolutionaries stormed the American embassy and seized loads of shredded paper. Because the shredders only cut one way, the revolutionaries were able to stick together the thin strips of paper to access stacks (literally) of confidential information.
Did you know that it is not illegal for someone to go through your rubbish? What’s more, anything they find in there is fair game – including your personal details?
Did you know that only 10% of identity theft cases happen through online exchanges? The majority of identity theft is via paper means.
Did you know that businesses need to safely dispose of your paper documents and that this is a legal obligation?
Did you know that shredding 1 tonne of paper saves, on average 17 trees and prevents air and water pollution?
Did you know that Taclus Confidential are here to help you help your business and to keep the identities of your customers or patients SAFE?

Cofion cynnes

Dave Lovatt

Director.

Time for a clear-out? Old contracts can leave you exposed….

Posted on 24th February 202030th January 2020 by megan

Do you need a clear-out?

Have you been hanging on to old contracts for employees and clients?

If you no longer need them, it’s time to ensure they’re dealt with securely.

They’re legal documents, many contain confidential employee details, and if your competitors get their hands on them it could give them an edge over you in business.

What would happen if fraudsters got their hands on these documents? They could cause havoc for your business.

While most businesses deal with contracts at some point, this is particularly relevant for professionals and companies which use them regularly.

Solicitors, estate agents, car leasing firms, and service providers such as telecommunications companies can deal with contracts on a daily basis.

Employee and client contracts will often contain names, addresses, details of next of kin, phone numbers, personal emails, and banking details.

Losing them could lead to identity theft or bank fraud and claims for compensation from your clients or employees.

This could prove disastrous for your business financially and for your company’s reputation.

The General Data Protection Regulations mean your business faces severe penalties in the most serious cases of data protection breaches.

That could be a £500,000 fine or a fine of up to 4% of your business’ worldwide turnover, whichever is larger. This is a far higher penalty than businesses currently face under the Data Protection Act.

So, losing data on several contracts could mean your business facing ruin.

How steep a penalty businesses face depends on whether they have documented processes in place to protect employee and client data, and how quickly they react to breaches.

Consider using Taclus Confidential – a South Wales secure shredding company

Taclus Confidential provides lockable consoles which can be used when destroying old contracts.

Once placed in the console, only key holders can remove the documents which will be recycled.

Do you have old blank paper contracts? Make sure they’re destroyed, too. Otherwise, someone unscrupulous could claim they work for your business to obtain people’s data.

Do you have digital contracts on old hard drives or flash drives? Taclus Confidential shreds those drives securely, too.

Using a dedicated service like ours has several benefits:

Staff are checked and all data is destroyed securely
We provide you with certificates of destruction – so you can prove you have systems to deal with confidential data
We have a zero-landfill policy
Our prices are competitive because of our low overheads
We save you time and money by freeing up your staff to do their core work
Taclus Confidential holds the accreditations for ISO 9001:2015 for quality management and ISO14001:2015 for environmental management, and has been certified by independent auditors IQS for both
Taclus has also been selected as the confidential waste management partner for Keep Wales Tidy

Are you looking for an affordable secure shredding service in South Wales? If you need advice on dealing with the secure destruction of confidential waste, call our friendly and efficient team on 02920 676 714, or email [email protected].

Happy Valentine’s Day to all our loyal and prospective shredding customers!

Posted on 14th February 20203rd February 2020 by megan

We’re feeling the love at Taclus and want to pass it on to you too……does anyone out there want to partner up with Taclus and be our valentine?! If so, do contact us or search the website for information on our services

Meanwhile, here are some interesting facts about Valentine’s Day:

Why is Valentine’s Day for lovers?

One of the most popular stories outlining the origins of Valentine’s Day dates back to 270 A.D. during the reign of Roman Emperor Claudius II who prohibited marriage because he believed single men made better soldiers. Bishop Valentine disregarded the Emperor’s wishes and continued to marry couples in secret until he was caught and thrown in jail for treason. He was executed on the 14 of February, which is why we celebrate St. Valentine’s every year on this date.

Red roses

We all relate the colour red with passion and love. Legend also has it that Venus, the goddess of love, favoured red roses above all other flowers.

Fun fact: Almost 75% of all people who buy flowers on Valentine’s Day are men and over 50 million roses are given each year on this day.

Valentine’s Day peculiarities:

White Day

The custom in Japan is somewhat different from our own. To express their love, women give men hand-made chocolate gifts on Valentine’s Day, while men reciprocate on the following month (White Day) by gifting a present that is three times as valuable as the gift they received on the 14^th of February.

Black noodles for the lonely

In Seoul and throughout South Korea, women give chocolate to men on the 14 of February. On the 14 of March, men show their love by gifting candy to their girlfriends and wives. All the single ladies and men who did not receive any candy or chocolate grieve on the 14 of April (aka Black Day) by going out and eating black noodles. Who knew?!

A ban on Valentine’s Day

Believe it or not, this holiday is actually banned in Saudi Arabia. Gifting tokens of affection such as flowers, chocolates or presents is forbidden, and companies in the retail and hospitality industry are discouraged from promoting the holiday. Furthermore, people are not allowed to wear any red clothing; selling red objects on this day is likewise prohibited.

GP, dental and other healthcare practices – act now!

Posted on 30th January 202030th January 2020 by megan

GP, dental and other healthcare practices hold a great deal of sensitive information on paper and on computers.

As GDPR becomes part of our daily life now, we are all aware of the potential it brings for far higher fines for an organisation which breaches it. So as January comes to an end, this is an excellent time for GP and dental practices to review how they deal with their information.

At Taclus, we recommend that you outsource your secure shredding to us (of course)!

Here are 7 excellent reasons you should consider using us:

Patient records – There are many sensitive items on a patient’s records. From the history of their treatment to their medication, addresses, phone numbers, and notes about potential future treatment. It is still common for many practices to hold paper records, and if they fall into the wrong hands this could result in a practice getting into serious trouble with the health authorities.

Appointment cards – This could give identity thieves and burglars information about patients such as their name, address, and when they will be out of their homes for dental appointments.

Out-of-date advice pamphlets – Medical advice is often updated, and pamphlets become out of date. It’s important that patients get the most current advice, so secure destruction of old pamphlets will ensure they won’t leave with the wrong literature.

Staff rotas – You need your staff to be secure, and someone unscrupulous getting hold of their shift patterns could cause them problems. Shredding them is the answer.

Old hard drives – A great deal of data could be left on old hard drives when you upgrade computers and laptops. It’s important this is destroyed correctly. Simply wiping the hard drive can often just mean wiping the sitemap, and the information is still on there in some form. The best way to ensure your security is shredding the hard drive.

Other media such as phone SIMs, USB sticks, and image cards – It’s amazing how much information we have on our smartphones, USB sticks, and image cards these days. They should be treated in the same way as a computer and they should be shredded securely.

Saving your staff time – It can take hours to fill a few bags with shredded items if you’re shredding it yourself. It can also be far too much for your office shredder! They often can’t cope with the amount of shredding which needs to be done in a modern dental practice. So, it’s both cost-effective and a good use of your employees’ time if you outsource this to a secure provider with a proven track record.

Why you should choose Taclus Confidential – A South Wales secure shredding company

We offer confidential paper waste and hard drive destruction services at affordable prices.

We are fully accredited for ISO 9001:2015 for quality management and ISO14001:2015 for environmental management..

We have been selected as the confidential waste management partner for Keep Wales Tidy.

We are the friendliest bunch of people in the business! We are also the best value and offer the best service!

If your GP, dental or healthcare practice is looking for an affordable and secure shredding service in South Wales, or if you need advice on dealing with the secure destruction of confidential waste, call our friendly and efficient team on 02920 676 714, or email [email protected]

On the Sixth Shred of Christmas my client gave to me……

Posted on 17th December 201910th December 2019 by megan

……Six Tonnes of Paper

……Five Storage Bins

…..Four calling cards

…..Three Year Ends

…..two purple books

….And a hard drive from a PC!

This lyric was provided by Lucy, 16, who took her earphones off for a minute to contribute to our project. And it’s a good one, not only because it fits to the music, but also because it’s such a core part of our business. In November alone we did huge clear-outs for four businesses; we took our mobile shredding lorry onto two sites and were able to shred there and then, and when access and site traffic was too busy, we took our lovely Taclus vans along, loaded them up and took the paper back to Taclus HQ to shred. Both ways, the customer was able to get rid of large volumes of confidential waste in a secure way for an excellent price.

If you have large volumes of paper to get rid of, contact us.

On the Fifth Shred of Christmas my client gave to me……

Posted on 16th December 201910th December 2019 by megan

On the Fifth Shred of Christmas my client gave to me…..

……FIVE STORAGE BINS!!!!!

…..Four calling cards

…..Three Year Ends

…..two purple books

….And a hard drive from a PC!

C’mon! The best line yet! And everybody’s favourite line in the carol when you can really sing your heart out!

Whilst many of our customers have consoles in the office that match their office furniture, we can also provide outdoor, lockable bins for large volumes of confidential waste. And that doesn’t just mean paper. We have a couple of customers that use these bins for disposable clothing which we collect weekly.

So, as you are humming this song today, consider whether your firm would benefit from large storage bins as well as your inside consoles….and if the answer is yes, contact us and we’ll get you kitted out.

On the Fourth Shred of Christmas my client gave to me…….

Posted on 13th December 201910th December 2019 by megan

…..Four calling cards

…..Three Year Ends

…..two purple books

….and a hard drive from a PC

The best line yet? Yup, contributed by Megan….but just wait for Five…..she made that one up too!

At this time of year, people often decide to spend a day de-toxing the office. This activity enables people to be productive and efficient without having to use 100% of their brain power – perfect for the Christmas season. So if you are rooting through your desk and you find piles of unused business cards (or calling cards), or headed paper etc, remember that these branded products contain confidential information and could result in a data breach. Don’t bin it, put it in your confidential waste bag or console…….if you don’t have one? Contact us….we pride ourselves on excellent customer service and can confidently say we are the best shredding company in Wales and the South West!

On the Third Shred of Christmas my client sent to me……

Posted on 12th December 201912th December 2019 by megan

On the Third Shred of Christmas my client gave to me

……Three Year Ends

…..two purple books

….and a hard drive from a PC

This lyric from Dave again (who over-ruled Three French Dictionaries, which this blog writer thought was much better).

For many businesses the end of the tax year can result in stacks of confidential financial information piled up in back rooms and storage areas. After the required retention periods have passed, these boxes of files could leave you vulnerable to a security breach.

A new financial year is a perfect time for businesses and individuals to review their paperwork from the previous year and decide whether documents need to be stored or destroyed. Any documents that are no longer required, must be securely disposed of and documents that are needed can either be stored at the office, digitally or off-site in secure storage.

We have several accountancy firm customers with some lovely testimonials to read about the value we have been able to add to their business.