Understanding your risks is your first step to better identity security for you and your customers.

Your small business is unique. You might think that, due to the smaller size of your business, it isn’t exposed to the same security risks as a Fortune 500 company. Unfortunately, a smaller company doesn’t equate to a smaller risk.

In 2010, Symantec performed a business security survey on small businesses with fewer than 100 employees. It found that 75% of small business owners are somewhat or extremely concerned about their security risk, and 42% of those surveyed have actually lost confidential or proprietary information in the past.

So what should you be doing to secure your company? While it’s important to devote time and resources to securing your technology and protecting your business from cyber threats, you also need to be aware of how to reduce physical risks with your confidential paperwork.

Here’s a checklist to help you get started:

•Train employees about what type of paperwork has confidential information.
•Limit access to areas where confidential documents are stored.
•Understand compliance legislation and document retention policies that pertain to your industry.
•Use citishred to destroy confidential documents once they are no longer needed.

By following these tips, you’ll be taking important steps to protect your company’s confidential information.