Not many people would put personal information on a postcard and send it out for your friendly postman, and everyone else to see. It is obvious that anything written on a postcard is open to all.

However, this thinking does not always continue to electronic communication. In reality, information written in email is very similar to a postcard. Once sent, it is unknown who or how many people could view its contents in transit.

With email being far more widely used than the postal service, it is the responsibility of each company to ensure personal data is kept personal. Heavy financial penalties for companies who allow private data to enter the public domain will soon come into force and many will be rushing to implement controls.

While staff training and awareness goes a long way, even your best employees can make mistakes. A robust system must be put in place to ensure the flow of personal data is restricted.

For many customers we have implemented automatic, policy based systems to manage outbound email which are found to contain sensitive information. For example, emails containing information such as dates of birth, credit card numbers or National Insurance numbers can be flagged and then automatically encrypted (see infographic). These policies ensure data which should remain within your organisation does so, and for information that should leave, appropriate controls are in place to ensure safe transit.

We are currently offering a FREE security assessment. We can visit to discuss options and solutions to enhance your existing network. – Talk to us today