Rincon India Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

Tag: Paperless

  • Reblog: Best Practices for Protecting Client File Privacy in the Legal Sector

    There are ways to protect the sensitive data contained in client files and reduce data loss around the legal office with software updates, document digitization, and FoIP solutions.

    The legal sector is comprised of law firms of all sizes, independent legal practitioners, and legal departments within organizations. Although this describes a vast array of legal offices, what ties them all together is that the legal workforce is responsible for high volumes of sensitive client information. Client files often contain the full gamut of personally identifiable information (PII) – from medical records to banking history and credit card numbers – placing the legal sector in the unique position of being under several compliance regulations when it comes to handling said data.

    Whereas regulations like HIPAA govern the exchange, storage, and auditing of PII for the healthcare industry, and regulations like SOX do the same for the financial sector, organizations in the legal sector can be subject to fines and penalties from both of these regulatory bodies and more. In a recent blog, we took a look at the inherent risks involved in transmitting client info via email. Taking the time to understand the threats linked with email use is a great first step, but email risks are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the possibilities of a data breach. If you work in the legal sector, this article aims to look at the broader picture and provide a few best practices you can apply around the office to keep client files safe.

    Perform an IT Audit and Update your Software

    Is your legal practice still using Windows XP? Despite the rising prevalence of data breaches due to unpatched and/or unsupported software with highly exploitable vulnerabilities, many companies still don’t see the need to upgrade to newer systems. After the WannaCry attacks in May, 2017, Microsoft provided legacy Windows platforms that were no longer receiving standard support, including Windows XP, Windows 8, and Windows Server 2003 with a security update. It was revealed that at the time of the attack, there were over 100 million legacy windows systems still in use around the world.

    Regardless of your current operating system, outdated technology puts your legal practice, and all the sensitive data within, at huge risk. You can have strong data governance policies in place and all your other organizational ducks in a row, but if you’re running an outdated OS, hackers can and will exploit such vulnerabilities. Don’t let this happen to you.

    Digitize Legal Records

    Transitioning to a completely paperless legal office may seem like a daunting task. Look around and you’ll likely see paper documents all over the place: client letters, court filings, case notes and more. Regulations like HIPAA for the healthcare industry are pushing organizations in the direction of electronically managing and filing records containing PII for several reasons. Paper file management is time consuming, costly, and leaves too much room for human error in a time where data breaches are so prevalent. Surprisingly though, a significant amount of legal practices still resorts to paper filing for their legal records, mostly because up until recently, practices involved in litigations have been required to print, bind, and share thick stacks of paper related to court cases.

    Luckily, many courts today are adopting electronic filing and services. This enables legal practices to transmit documents directly to a court’s case management system where it can be distributed to any other parties involved.

    Transitioning to a paperless environment doesn’t happen overnight, but most of today’s paralegal training incorporates digital filing and systems management, making it easier for law firms of all sizes to hire the right help. Legal practices that print and collate files for long-term storage may want to consider secure cloud-based storage and sharing services. Even in-house servers take up way less space than your average paper filing cabinet, and greatly reduce the likelihood of unauthorized parties accessing client files.

    Make your Document Transmissions Paperless

    The fax machine is the most paper-intensive communication technology still in use, and it’s still going strong in the legal sector. Not only is it costly to maintain a fax machine, its leaves the details of client files up for grabs, whether documents are left lying around in plain sight, or the fax machine at the receiving end of your transmissions is left unattended. Email and scanning technology have their own list of security risks and have therefore not made outdated fax technology obsolete. A range of fax services, including fax over internet protocol (FoIP) solutions have made a tremendous impact on organizational efficiency in recent years, allowing users to send and receive secure faxes directly from their PCs, laptops, and mobile devices. This means no more printing is required, and the legal workforce can securely send their documents while on-the-go – a relief for those rushing to make their next courtroom appearance.

    Want to learn more about FoIP and secure file exchange solutions that can simplify document management, improve compliance, and boost security for your client files? E-mail us on sales@rincon.co.in for more information and we will be glad to assist you.

    The original article can be found here.

  • Reblog: Dubai Announces Initiative to go Paperless by 2021

    In an effort to eliminate the need for physical visits to government customer service centers, Smart Dubai, a government entity, announced earlier this year that it plans to fully digitize its services to residents and expatriates through the use of information and communication technology (ICT).

    The smart initiative was launched by Dubai Crown Prince Shaikh Hamdan at the Future Now exhibit in Dubai Design District. It will enable individuals to find and fill out government forms, renew licenses and documents, pay fines, search for vacant properties and more through an online platform that can be accessed via smartphones. Since the online platform, aptly named Dubai Pulse, was announced in April, all Dubai government departments have been working hard to populate it with data.

    Dubai Pulse: Streamlining Government Processes Means Happier Residents and Visitors

    “Today, in the era of Big Data, it is essential to have a central platform to house all of the government’s data, a platform that taps into the potential of artificial intelligence to spread happiness among the people,” said Crown Prince Shaikh Hamdan.

    In an interview with Gulf News at the Dubai Pulse launch, Dr Aisha Bint Butti Bin Bishr, Director-General of the Smart Dubai Office, that the platform will help relieve day-to-day stress in the lives of both residents and expatriates by giving them the ability to accomplish much more online, thereby greatly reducing the number of physical trips made across the city.

    “What we are trying to do is put people in more mindful situations so that they can plan their lives and be happier,” Bin Bishr told Gulf News. Most people living in major cities can attest to long wait times at government offices. When renewing a driver’s license, for example, simply filling out a couple of forms and having a photo taken can mean having to take an entire afternoon off work.

    Not only will individuals benefit from being able to do so much with the click of a button, the environment will benefit as well. The Dubai government estimates that there will be up to 80 million fewer car trips by motorists running errands over the next four years thanks to the Dubai Pulse online portal. A drastic reduction in harmful emissions indeed.

    Paperless Dubai of tomorrow: building a smart city

    Although the government sector represents a major portion of the new initiative, what does paperless Dubai mean when it comes to other industries?

    Earlier this year, the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) aligned itself with the Smart Dubai initiative by making medical records electronically available to patients in several of its health facilities. The paperless initiative, deployed in three phases that will see all DHA facilities going digital by November 2017, eliminates the need for manual files and guarantees that patients will have one unified medical record should they visit multiple DHA facilities. The new system also acts as a cross-referencing tool for medication and allergy interactions and will provide real-time notifications of changes in patient medications and conditions.

    “Our smart initiatives are aligned with the Dubai Health Strategy 2016 to 2021 and the Dubai smart government strategy, which aims to transform Dubai into a smart city.” said Humaid Al Qatami, chairman of the board and director general of the DHA

    With both the government and healthcare sectors of Dubai moving towards total digitization in an effort to provide greater convenience and seamless service to locals and visitors, its only a matter of time before other industries follow suit.

    Looking for a way to create a paperless environment in your organization? Contact us to find out how you can automate several of your workflows with digital secure file exchange solutions designed to protect yours and your customer’s sensitive information.

    The original article can be found here.