Information security, recycling and irony

[Jeff Kinz]

On Thu, Feb 02, 2006 at 10:27:48AM -0500, Christopher Schmidt wrote:
> On Thu, Feb 02, 2006 at 10:08:08AM -0500, Fred wrote:
> > On Thursday 02 February 2006 09:21, Jeff Kinz wrote:
> > ...
> > > The Lesson:
> > >
> > > Its clear that one never "really" knows how recycled materials are going
> > > to be used so confidential materials must always be destroyed rather
> > > than recycled. (duh)
> > 
> > Also, if you do *test* runs, use *test* data if at all possible. In a big 
> > organization, I wouldn't trust every employee with sensitive, confidential 
> > information unless there is an explicit *need to know*.
> > 
> > In the Boston Globe case, there is an element of professionalism amiss here. 
> > It seems to me pretty darn tacky to use test printouts for wrapping paper. 
> > It shows no one cares a hoot about their image there. 
> 
> Speaking as a paperboy for 4 years -- these printouts are not designed
> to be seen by the customers. In my case, they were never printed on
> recycled paper, but they were shoddily printed, hard to read dot-matrixy
> paper with alternating green/white color bars across them. The 'toppers'
> basically just had number of papers, and any complaints/adds/drops from
> the customers. They're not meant for the general population, so they
> have nothing to do with image. 

Chris, yes, the toppers ordinarily don't have confidential info on them.
They are usually just a delivery list, nothing wrong with having toppers.  

In this case, the "toppers" were printed on recycled paper which
had the confidential info on the "previously used" side of the paper.

argh!


-- 
Jeff Kinz, Emergent Research, Hudson, MA.
speech recognition software may have been used to create this e-mail

"The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by men
of zeal, well-meaning but without understanding." - Brandeis

To think contrary to one's era is heroism. But to speak against it is
madness. -- Eugene Ionesco