The British Security Industry Association (BSIA) and its Information Destruction section have published a white paper for the public sector. The paper is designed to be used as a guide for public sector agencies, and any organisation wishing to benchmark against that sector, to provide the correct protocols in the destruction of sensitive items and materials. The guide references previously published guidance documents from the Cabinet Office and the official Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI), to promote the required specifications for data destruction, and the importance of secure information destruction thereof.
The new guide titled “Information Destruction in the Public Sector” specifies which sensitive materials should be securely destroyed. Furthermore, it defines the varying levels of secure information and documents that should be disposed of in the appropriate manner. Threat profiles are assessed and analysed in tiers of severity, and the paper also gives organisations guidance on specifying the desired outcomes that information destruction should produce.
Adam Chandler, pictured, chairman of the Information Destruction section of the BSIA, said: “The security of information is an issue of paramount importance in the 21st century. Data breaches can be more than costly, they can ruin a government’s credibility as well as a private company’s reputation. British organisations must fortify their infrastructure by ensuring standards are upheld and that data is adequately disposed of. By adhering to the standards set by the government and referenced by the BSIA in this paper; citizens, employees, and civil servants will be better protected.”
Download the guide in full at http://www.bsia.co.uk/publications/publications-search-results/257-information-destruction-in-the-public-sector.aspx.
