Paper Shredders Security Ratings 

Paper shredders have become the main prevention against identity theft. As they have grown in popularity, it has become necessary to rate and measure their effectiveness. Strip cutting shredders have been known to produce end results which can be put back together by savvy thieves. Security is the ultimate priority when disposing of personal and sensitive information so these ratings are important when looking to purchase one. This article looks at the ratings which will ultimately lead you to purchasing a shredder of the highest standard.

Before you begin shredding, you need to think about how sensitive the information you’re disposing of is. It does not take a lot of information for identities to be stolen and general information that you may regard as being innocent could well help the thieves reach their goal.

The guidelines which have been laid out by FACTA require that the ‘disposal of documents with any personal information of any individuals be destroyed properly and in a reasonable way’. Paper shredding is the perfect way to dispose of such information.

One way of grading a paper shredder’s security is the Deutsche Industrial Norm (DIN). This originated in Europe and has six different levels of security: 

Level 1. General to low – common records and documents
Level 2. Low to medium - internal documents relating to staff and clients
Level 3. Confidential to medium - any document which contains confidential information
Level 4. Sensitive to medium to high - confidential documents
Level 5. Classified to high to maximum – strictly confidential documents
Level 6. Top secret - the highest level of security available

It is important that the type of shredder you purchase matches the security level needed for your job. Strip cutters offer the lowest level of security as thieves have in the past managed to reassemble the information. Confetti and cross cutting shredders offer a level of security which is sufficient for many types of shredding. These are very popular in offices and in the home.

Every shredder has a security level mentioned in its description and this should always be taken into account. You may find that you need to shred CD's, floppy disks, and cardboard, which can be achieved with certain shredders. The description on the box should let you know what can and can’t be shred.

The ruling brought into effect by FACTA has; without doubt, put the responsibility of individuals for the security of employees and clients. If you do not dispose of sensitive and confidential information correctly, you will face a fine of at least $1,000 for each person you neglect. State offenses have fines of up to $2,500.

With this in mind, it is vital to dispose of all documentation and information securely and the best way is through shredding it. At the end of the day, you will be responsible personally if one of your employees or clients is a victim of identity fraud through your own neglect. Bear in mind how much security is needed for your line of work and buy the best shredder you can afford which offers this level of security.

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