Keeping Your Sensitive Documents Secure | Dixie Safe & Lock Service Inc.

From birth certificates to payroll documents, social security cards to leases, home and business owners have their fair share of sensitive documents to keep under lock and key. If this paperwork ever fell into the wrong hands, there is the potential for severe financial or legal ramifications. That’s why many businesses and homeowners have resorted to keeping their most precious documents locked away in a filing cabinet.

Many filing cabinet varieties come with a standard key lock and have a specific key number printed on the cabinet to help identify the model if a new key is needed. Unfortunately, this also means anyone who knows the number can get an extra key. Changing the locks periodically, especially in an office or business where multiple people have access to the key, can help ensure there are no extraneous keys floating around. This is especially important for businesses with the potential for employee turnover and retaliation after termination. A new lock every six months or every year keeps updated keys in the hands of trusted employees only.

Some filing cabinet companies have recognized the potential for key theft and have upgraded their locking mechanism to a combination lock. While it’s much more difficult for an individual to accidentally gain access to sensitive documents this way, there is still the possibility a person can crack the code. Employees often write down combinations, which have the potential to be found by people who shouldn’t have access, or will ask someone who isn’t authorized to fetch something from the cabinet, telling them the combination in the process.

If you’re still worried about employees or visitors sneaking a peek at sensitive files, it may be prudent to relocate your filing cabinets entirely. Many times, cabinets containing important information are kept out in the open, available for anyone to come along and jiggle the handle.

Too often, business owners file away important documents without any way to protect them from prying eyes. While filing cabinets may come with manufacturer-installed locks, improving security yourself can do wonders for your peace of mind. Some security upgrades can be done on your own, but some will require the expert advice and abilities of a locksmith.