Suggesting new alternatives for companies seeking reduced risk and regulatory compliance.
(Vocus/PRWeb) April 4, 2008 -- On Monday March 31, leading automotive aftermarket retailer Advance Auto Parts revealed that 14 of their stores in eight states were affected by a network intrusion that compromised financial information of up to 56,000 of their customers. Last week, officials at the State Department revealed contractors had improperly accessed the passport files of Senators Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and John McCain. These are just a couple of the more recent examples of information security breeches that are the result of everything from poor data protection policies to inadequate enterprise-wide staff training. The costs of such incidents can be devastating, not only financially but also in terms of customer trust.
Knowing they are at risk, more and more organizations are scrambling to find solutions – often spending millions to safeguard data and information, without knowing much simpler and more effective compliance and risk-reduction solutions are available.
ARMA International, the not-for-profit association and global authority on managing records and information, is calling upon corporations to take the first steps in this effort by understanding and reviewing their Records and Information Management (RIM) policies.
“One of the most effective protective measures any company has against these types of occurrences is a well-developed, enterprise-wide records and information management program,” states Marilyn Bier, Executive Director of ARMA International. “Not only do the policies and procedures have to be in place and well documented”, adds Bier, “but there must be adequate training throughout the enterprise.”
According to CIO magazine, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has brought a total of 20 complaints against companies with data breaches in the recent past. According to FTC Chairman Deborah Platt Majoras, “By now, the message should be clear: companies that collect sensitive consumer information have a responsibility to keep it secure. Information security is a priority for the FTC, as it should be for every business in America."
ARMA International helps to spread that message through its myriad standards and guidelines, web seminars, educational events, and publications. With more than 11,000 members worldwide, ARMA International is dedicated to helping companies understand today’s records management issues and to help them leverage information, resources, and standards.
For more information and additional resources and information on managing records and information visit the ARMA International website at www.arma.org.
About ARMA International
ARMA International is a not-for-profit professional association and the global authority on managing records and information. It is known worldwide for setting standards and best practices, and for providing comprehensive education, publications, and information on the efficient maintenance, retrieval, and preservation of vital information created in public and private organizations in all sectors of the economy. Formed in 1955, ARMA International is the oldest and largest association for the records and information management profession with a current international membership of more than 11,000. It also publishes the award-winning Information Management Journal.
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