Nebraska businesses are being asked to "Guard It." It's a statewide effort designed to help businesses protect the personal information of past and present employees.
Identity theft topped the Federal Trade Commission's list of consumer complaints for the seventh straight year. The average cost for a company to recover is $5 million, according to the Poneman Institute. However, the breach can cost much more in terms of reputation and customer trust.
"Securing information is critical and Guard It details data security measures for every business," said Attorney General Jon Bruning. "The bottom line is safeguarding data today will help protect businesses and their customers tomorrow."
"Guard It" comes down to five common sense steps:
Take Stock - Know what personal info you have in your files and on your computer.
Scale Down - Keep only what you need for your business.
Lock It - Protect information that you keep.
Pitch It - Properly dispose of what you no longer need.
Plan Ahead - Create a plan to respond to security incidents.
Businesses interested in receiving a guide can contact the Attorney General's Office at 471-2594 or download it here.