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Is Your Copier Sharing Your Secrets?

You could say I am a little ‘distraught’ over a CBS News report that was just forwarded to me by my CFO*. I think his intentions were to make me aware of a significant business and personal security risk that I have never considered until now. He certainly got my attention.

Modern copy machines store a copy of every copy made. Shocked?

I was, just as I began thinking about all the things I have made copies of; contracts, agreements, financial records, plans, password documents I keep in a safe. All kinds of confidential business stuff. My heart really began to race as I considered all the places I might have copied personal documents such as social security cards, drivers’ licenses, bills, taxes and medical records. Oh my!

The security risk isn’t immediately apparent until you realize many of these machines are leased, and ultimately go back into the system to be leased again, or sold. Sometimes to your competitor, sometimes to foreign countries, and sometimes (as implied in the video, below) to people who know they are getting a harvest of confidential information that can be exploited. Think about all your records being copied by your doctor, your financial planner or your credit card company.

As a business, we have a responsibility to keep records safe and secure. It also pays to be aware of how securities can be circumvented, if even in the most benign of ways.

So, as my public service announcement of the day, I present to you one of the most shocking YouTube videos I have ever watched:

*Thank you to my good friend and Utah CFO Kent Thomas for the adrenaline rush this late Friday afternoon. Kent is my CFO, and always has my back.

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