Owning a paper shredder is essential these days.
This is due to the rise in identity theft as well as the passing of
certain privacy laws including the Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
Owning a paper shredder is essential these days.
This is due to the rise in identity theft as well as the passing of
certain privacy laws including (but not limited to) the Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Thus, when you choose a
shredder, you really need to think about how much security you're going
to need and then choose a device that can give you it. This article will
fill you in on everything you need to know about shredder security.
First of all, you need to know that shredder security is measured on a
scale of 1 to 6. The higher the number, the more security the machine
offers. For example, a strip-cut machine might have a Level 1 rating
(lowest security) while a large cross-cut device could have a Level 5 or
6 rating (highest security). You'll want to select a machine that has
the security rating that's right for your needs. Here are the different
types of shredders available:
Strip-cut shredders offer the least amount of
security. This is because they turn documents into strips and some
people can piece a document back together, unfortunately. Thus, you
shouldn't use one of these devices if you're shredding highly
confidential documents that contain proprietary information. However,
these shredders are fine for personal use and they're often the most
affordable machines available. These devices usually have security
ratings ranging from Level 1 to 3.
Cross-cut shredders offer more security than their
strip-cut counterparts. A cross-cut machine can cut paper in two
directions which results in paper bits as opposed to strips. Cross-cut
shredders are good for use at home and in the office, and machines of
varying sizes are available. One of these devices is going to be more
expensive than a strip-cut model, but you'll find that the added
security more than makes up for it.
Micro-cut shredders are a type of cross-cut
shredder but they offer even more security. Often, the paper bits one of
these machines produces are so fine they can be considered particles.
Most of the machines in this category have Level 4 security ratings, so
they're perfect for highly sensitive items.
Finally, there are shredders that have received
approval from the National Security Agency and/or Department of Defense.
These machines have Level 5 or 6 ratings and offer total protection so
they're ideal for governmental and corporate use. Unfortunately, these
are some of the most expensive shredders on the market, so be prepared
for fork over quite a bit of money for one.
While you'll need to consider other things when choosing a paper
shredder (i.e. brand name, size, price), the amount of security offered
should be your primary concern. After all, you're getting a shredder so
you can protect certain types of information to prevent identity theft
and/or comply with various privacy laws. Make sure you spend some time
thinking about how much security you need and then choose a device that
best fits your needs. Good luck and happy shredding!
Jeff McRitchie is the Vice-President of Marketing for MyBinding.com.
He regularly writes articles, reviews, and blog posts on topics related
to bookbinding, laminating, paper shredding, and office equipment. More
than 2,500 of his reviews have been published in thousands of locations
on the Internet. If you're looking for information about paper shredders, his articles are a great place to start.
