Paper vs Digital
keyword: paper vs digital can be spread
Pros vs Cons
Strength vs Weaknesses
interesting: https://www.quora.com/Paperwork-Is-it-better-to-keep-physical-or-digital-files-for-record-keeping
Paperwork: Is it better to keep physical or digital files for record keeping?
not yet read: https://www2.seas.gwu.edu/~shmuel/WORK/Differences/Chapter%203%20-%20Sources.pdf
The Difference between Electronic and Paper Documents
- LCA: Life Cycle Assessment
- Raw material. Paper: better renewable raw material (78%). Digital media: precious metal & rare earths.
- printed media can be used over longer periods of time without consuming energy
- Haptics (relating to the sense of touch) & perception
- Reception (advertising): More memorable
- Cyber-security: Handling sensitive data. Cybercrime, technological progress (need to keep the system up to date), human factors (weak password, security breach).
https://blog.saleslayer.com/paper-vs-digital
- Pro paper: environmental impact (paper is biodegradable, requires no batteries & other contaminant)
- Pro digital:
- Real-time updates: information can be updated often
- Customization
- Weight: can carry a single device without having to carry piles of paper
Both formats have advantages and disadvantages
Electronic documents:
+ ease of retrieval and access
> electronic files can be retrieved using keywords included in either the file name or the content, no matter where the document is located
> with cloud storage, documents can be retrieved from mobile devices as well as office computers, providing greater flexibility
+ Storage space issue
> Paper takes up space
Legal and financial documents? Not as easy an answer.
– Confidentiality and security are particularly important issues when it comes to legal and financial documents.
– Storing sensitive information electronically does open up the possibility that documents could be hacked and compromised.
> use an encrypted and password-protected storage system
– Emailing is rarely secure, so attaching a bank statement or tax return to an email without additional security is putting information at risk
> put a password on the document that the recipient must use to open it
> communicate the password verbally to the recipient
> good practice. password-protect thumb drives containing sensitive information as well
– Hard copies are definitely required if a document includes original or notarized signatures.
Paper documents:
+ A detailed or complicated document is often easier to read, pass around and make notes on if it’s printed
+ If you’re traveling to a rural or remote location where Internet access is sketchy, having hard copies is also smart planning.
To protect both paper and electronic documents
– Important legal and financial documents: store in a secure place with restricted access
– purchase fire- and flood-proof safe for paper documents to protect your critical and sensitive records.
– back up electronic documents
– keep a backup copy of electronic documents off site from your business as a precaution
https://www.russellrichardson.co.uk/advice/3/paper-vs-digital-documents
Paper vs digital documents: How to lessen the risk of a data breach
In 2017: WannaCry (ransomware)
– the programme spread itself across vulnerable Windows systems and encrypted important files, making them inaccessible
– victims were forced to pay $300 in bitcoin. After three days, the ransom doubled. After a week, the hackers deleted the files permanently.
– cost the NHS a massive £92 million in lost output from disrupted services and direct IT costs
– most cases the solution
> for businesses to keep their paper records in a secure location such as a storage facility,
> or store their digital files online with the correct security systems in place to combat any cyber-attacks
Advice:
– transfer all paper documents to a secure storage facility.
> CCTV and restricted access to security-checked staff only
> a scanning system logs any documents that staff move or retrieve
– anyone with access to those documents must have the proper training in data security
– set up system: users only have access to the relevant data they need to fulfil their specific duties.
Prevent or mitigate inappropriate behaviour by staff
by carrying out a reasoned risk assessment
– human risk: use of smartphones for both work and home
> download games, shopping, browse the internet and share our lives on social media
– click on a malicious attachment or link in an email
– give important information away over the phone or in their social media posts
– being hit by a cyber-attack is not a matter of ‘if’ but ‘when’
– have a plan in place for withstanding such an attack
> abusing an unpatched vulnerability within the software
SME: spend less money on security and training
Criminals will prefer to target numerous easy SMEs rather than one difficult large organisation
Cloud:
– have the correct software and up-to-date technology to protect sensitive information
– have up-to-date and patched software
– install an update: usually because the software company has found a problem which allows criminals to operate and the update will ‘patch’ this hole
– older systems like Windows XP are no longer supported so no longer get patches
digital files:
– make sure their software is current and compatible with the formats their files use
> having to pay for the files to be converted to a usable format
– Prevention is better than cure
– There’s no second chance when dealing with data breaches – the stakes are too high
– must be right first time.”
Keeping paper documents safe:
– to store them off-site with an archiving company
– If in the office:
> must install the correct security features
> ensure only those workers with the proper authorisation can access them
– Old-fashioned security: best ways
> locked cabinets, locked doors, locked windows, intruder alarms and procedures for transporting documents safely
– keep up with criminal techniques
– need to be aware of the variety of methods online hackers use to steal dat
– can mitigate most common threats by taking some simple technical measures
– every small improvement you make reduces the risks to your business
According to the National Cyber Security Centre,
the essential technical controls for cyber security include:
– installing a firewall to secure the internet connection
– choosing the most secure settings for devices and software
– controlling who has access to data and services
– using antivirus software to protect against viruses and other malware
– keeping devices and software up to date
paperless: a way of freeing up space
going digital: can expose to online fraud
– need to implement the necessary protection to thwart any malicious threats