Do you get credit card information online? Does your accounting department keep information about customers’ checking accounts? What kind of information you collect at each entry point.Does it come to your business through a website? By email? Through the mail? Is it transmitted through cash registers in stores? How your business receives personal information.Do you get it from customers? Credit card companies? Banks or other financial institutions? Credit bureaus? Job applicants? Other businesses? Who sends sensitive personal information to your business.Track personal information through your business by talking with your sales department, information technology staff, human resources office, accounting personnel, and outside service providers.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. 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. Also, inventory the information you have by type and location. 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.Know what personal information you have in your files and on your computers. Create a plan to respond to security incidents.ġ. Properly dispose of what you no longer need. Keep only what you need for your business. 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.Ī sound data security plan is built on 5 key principles: Others may find it helpful to hire a contractor. Some businesses may have the expertise in-house to implement an appropriate plan. 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. However, if sensitive data falls into the wrong hands, it can lead to fraud, identity theft, or similar harms. This information often is necessary to fill orders, meet payroll, or perform other necessary business functions.

Most companies keep sensitive personal information in their files-names, Social Security numbers, credit card, or other account data-that identifies customers or employees. About the FTC Show/hide About the FTC menu items.News and Events Show/hide News and Events menu items.Advice and Guidance Show/hide Advice and Guidance menu items.Competition and Consumer Protection Guidance Documents.Enforcement Show/hide Enforcement menu items.

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