EPC, Inc, now in its 30th year of business, continues to be a centerpiece of information in regard to Data Security. We have been offering companies of all sizes options that ensure compliance with specific industry standards to help protect a company’s reputation and information. A recent article from DataBreaches.Net shows just how important it is to be compliant.

“Nearly 1 in 4 data breach letter recipients became a victim of identity fraud, with breaches involving Social Security numbers to be the most damaging.”

This is a staggering number and cannot be overlooked.

That means that if your company had an “average sized” Data Breach from a mishandled asset or drive of 554 leaked names*, you would have 139 customers or clients that now have had their entire identity taken from them. This is a process that can take from 3-7 years to reclaim not to mention the untold number of dollars that it will cost YOUR COMPANY to make this happen.

The next time you have retired assets that your boss told you to “get rid of” don’t just think of your potential feel good moment of running into that boss’ office and telling him you got rid of all of those “old” computers and were able to do it for no money. Think about that boss’ reaction when you have to tell him the guy that did it for free just stole you client’s identities and you now have to deal with the absolute costs associated with a breach – along with the unknown costs of lost business.

EPC offers true, peace of mind and for very little time on your part. We offer fluid solutions to fit any company in any industry.

Please feel free to contact EPC and learn more about our Industry leading Data Security operations. We would love to help you review your protocols to make sure you are compliant within your industry.

*The data to describe an average size breach is from 2012. We expect the average size of a breach to continue to grow exponentially for the foreseeable future.

The post What Value Does Your Company Place on Their Customer’s Privacy and Livelihood? appeared first on EPC, Inc.

From Patrick Mann: ITAD Sales, EPC, Inc.

Whether you’re a property manager, an IT or data center manager, a lessor, or a liquidation manager, when your company charges you with disposition of physical IT assets, there’s little room for error. Because of the unplanned and chaotic nature of the situations that call for IT asset disposition, you’re often up against a hard deadline and a shifting, disorganized environment.

When disposing of IT assets in these situations, your task is to mitigate the risk to your organization and get the job done quickly.

Common situations that call for quick disposition of IT assets include:

• Bankruptcy
• Consolidation
• Merger
• Data center merger
• Downsizing
• Closing a division or data center

Usually, when these situations occur, the property manager or IT manager doesn’t have much time to plan and manage the disposition. In these chaotic situations, often the best approach to asset disposition is to partner with an experienced asset disposition solution provider or equipment re-marketer with the expertise and facilities to handle the logistical challenge.

Here are three things to consider when evaluating a potential asset disposition partner:

• Expertise: Is the solution provider familiar with your equipment? A trained representative can appraise the equipment on site and tell you whether or not it’s worth removing. In some situations, understanding each party’s obligations and liability for data security and the equipment itself will determine the best disposition process. An expert in reverse logistics and asset disposition can help you sort through the different scenarios.

• Ability: It sounds the same as expertise, but it’s not. You can find people who know a lot about reselling equipment, but are they able to utilize company employees and bring in the labor to move the equipment out before your deadline? Do they have certified processes for handling and destroying data? When you’re working with a strict timetable—perhaps you’ve been allocated a certain number of days by a bankruptcy court or your company’s lease is expiring—you need a solution provider who knows the equipment and can move it out quickly and efficiently and ensure data security

• Logistics: Where is the equipment going? How is it getting there? Is it being packed and handled to prevent damage and maintain maximum resale value? Is the chain of custody clear and secure?

• Value: The financial value your organization is getting back through the asset disposition should be an important factor when deciding on a solution provider, but it should not be the only one. Consider all of your costs such as the use of internal resources, transportation to far away facilities, as well risks of data breach or environmental non-compliance. The costs could outweigh the value of the assets themselves. The right asset disposition partner will help you minimize all of the costs and the risks while maximizing the return.

When you’re under the clock because of a merger, bankruptcy, data center closing, or another similar scenario, you don’t want to make mistakes. Partnering with a responsible and experienced IT asset disposition provider can make the difference between a smooth, organized process, and a chaotic, disorganized one.

The post Shutting Down or Moving? How to Choose the Right Asset Disposition and Remarketing Partner appeared first on EPC, Inc.

From Eric Levy: ITAD Sales, EPC, Inc.

EPC, Inc, now in it’s 30th year of business, continues to be a centerpiece of information in regard to Data Security. We have been offering companies of all sizes options that ensure compliance with specific industry standards to help protect companies reputation and information. A recent article from DataBreaches.Net shows just how important it is to be compliant.

“Nearly 1 in 4 data breach letter recipients became a victim of identity fraud, with breaches involving Social Security numbers to be the most damaging.”

This is a staggering number and cannot be overlooked. That means that if your company had an “average sized” Data Breach from a mishandled asset or drive of 554 leaked names*, you would have 139 customers or clients that now have had their entire identity taken from them. This is a process that can take from 3-7 years to reclaim not to mention the untold number of dollars that it will cost YOUR COMPANY to make this happen.

The next time you have retired assets that your boss told you to “get rid of” don’t just think of your potential feel good moment of running into that boss’ office and telling him you got rid of all of those “old” computers and were able to do it for no money. Think about that boss’ reaction when you have to tell him the guy that did it for free just stole you client’s identities and you now have to deal with the absolute costs associated with a breach – along with the unknown costs of lost business. EPC offers true, peace of mind and for very little time on your part. We offer fluid solutions to fit any company in any industry.

Contact EPC and learn more about our Industry-leading Data Security operations. We would love to help you review your protocols to make sure you are compliant within your industry.

*The data to describe an average size breach is from 2012. We expect the average size of a breach to continue to grow exponentially for the foreseeable future.

Please feel free to contact EPC and learn more about our Industry leading Data Security operations. We would love to help you review your protocols to make sure you are compliant within your industry.

The post Interesting New Numbers on Data Breaches – The Numbers Will Stack Up Against YOUR Company appeared first on EPC, Inc.

Today, we as technology-addicted humans put in not just phone numbers, but intimate family-based information, account numbers to insurance and bill-paying outlets of all kinds and most importantly: PASSWORDS to the stuff that helps you and/or your company make money.

But what are you doing to protect that literal electronic treasure trove you have on your phone? A recent article over at CNN.Com (listed below) has found that only one in three smartphone users are using a password to protect their data. That means that 7 people, literally have an open-door policy to – well – anyone. Having just changed phone companies (oddly enough, to the exact same phone, just a different carrier) I realized as I was choosing the passcode for my new technological terror how as a connected IT professional, just how critical it is to have a password in place.

At any one time, I have access to company’s websites, my own websites, personal information of every kind all within a moments touch to help me make my day more productive, and to have one, mobile, digital “place” to get all of the information right now. And THAT’s why there’s a passcode, not only to get “into” my phone, but also the information management software that’s on my phone.

What are YOU and the people (especially your sales staffs) doing to help ensure that if one of their phones, with sensitive customer information were found/stolen? Are you using a password to block instant access to your mobile phone’s content? Read the article via the link below and then tell us here what YOU and your company have implemented to prevent the true nightmare scenario…

“Three of 10 Smartphone Users Don’t Use Passwords” at CNN.Com

The post How Many Hurdles are In Between a Thief and Your Phone’s Data? appeared first on EPC, Inc.

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These location tests are used by cellular providers to find the best path on their networks to route calls and can be accurate to a 10-block area in metropolitan areas. 3rd party access to this data usually requires a warrant. However using commodity hardware and open source technology, the researchers were able to directly capture this information. They did not have to contact the local cellular company for access.

The authors conclude that this formation could be used by oppressive regimes to track down dissidents or for thieves could target a person and identify when they were no longer at their home.

The authors have contacted carriers and phone handset manufactures, such as AT&T and Nokia to discuss mitigation techniques and are working on responsible disclosure statements for cellular service providers.

Source Article:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120216165701.htm#.T0JUDgoV6-4.email

The post Are Hackers Tracking You via Your Cell Phone? appeared first on EPC, Inc.

RIM has acknowledged the vulnerability and promised a fix in the upcoming Playbook OS 2.0 update, which is due to be released in early February 2011. RIM has also recommended that users avoid installing applications from untrusted sources, which will reduce the risk of exposure.

Source: CIO.com – Email, Personal Information on PlayBook Left Vulnerable to Hackers

The post Playbook security hole makes personal information available appeared first on EPC, Inc.

EPC, Inc. has been fortunate enough to become a juggernaut in the IT Asset Recovery business and our reputation as one of the best solutions for end-of-life IT equipment continues to grow.

Those of you that consider “IT equipment” computers, printers, servers and more – you’re absolutely right. The vast majority of equipment returned falls into these categories, but you may be surprised what makes its way back to EPC.

First, a bit of background. EPC, Inc. is owned by CSI Leasing, one of the world’s largest IT lessors that provide leased equipment around the globe. Companies will receive, for example, 2,200 new computer systems, and the now off-lease equipment is acquired by EPC, Inc. and sold to schools, businesses, people in our 5,500 sq ft retail showroom – anyone that wants to save money. This “IT Equipment received back off-lease also includes some items you’d have never thought would grace the halls EPC.

Not only does this first of many listings of “weird returns to EPC, Inc.” make for an interesting read, it’s also a great way for those looking for the “out of the ordinary” to find solutions thanks to EPC, Inc.

5.) Medical Centrifuge: Centrifuges are machines that rapidly spin fluids to separate substances of different densities by using centrifugal force to produce a form of artificial gravity. They come in from medical companies of all kinds when medical equipment is upgraded.

4.) X-ray Machine: Yes, those machines that you see inside of hospitals, medical clinics and dentists office across the nation that are taking pictures of bones, screws, metal plates and foreign objects eventually make their way into EPC, Inc.

3.) Baby Incubator: Incubators are busy helping children across the world cruise faster towards their first steps and when they’re replaced via their lease, the old ones eventually end up at EPC, Inc.

2.) Airport security X-ray Machine: With security across the globe converting to something more advanced, we’ll surely be seeing these devices arriving back in more quantity. The units are in general much smaller than you’d think and serve as a perfect off-lease platform for businesses that want to increase their overall security.

…and at number 1…

1.) Helium Neon Laser: These lasers, typically used to test industrial and scientific optics make for the top of the “weird” listing for this entry. Most of us will never come into contact much less “see” a laser and it’s great to at least see a device like this in real life before it’s sold to its next owner.

Thanks for taking the time to read this first of many “Weirdest Returns at EPC, Inc., and be sure to stay tuned to the EPC, Inc. blog for the next edition!

The post 5 Weirdest Returns to EPC, Inc. – Part 1 appeared first on EPC, Inc.

EPC looks forward to providing more great savings, deals and solutions in 2012 and are appreciative of your time, interest and feedback. Please be sure to visit our New/Social Media streams on the Internet (via Facebook and Twitter )to tell us more about how we can meet your needs. Award-winning customer service is a hallmark of EPC, and we are eager to see what this new year will hold for us in new arenas.

Have a safe and Happy New Year!

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