How to protect your EDP records;

              How to Protect
your
EDP Records
by Richard A. Levine
In today's complex world of computers, many
companies are neglecting one of the basics of in­stallation
of computer systems—they often fail to
safeguard the valuable records their systems pro­duce.
Unfortunately, computer systems controls and
operations procedures are usually considered last
in the installation of the systems so that it is com­mon
for many manual systems to be automated
with these important aspects still unsettled. It is
especially unfortunate because it appears that the
computer will assume an increasing role in com­pany
operations.
What may happen then is that most companies
will increase their use of computers and have more
data in machine-readable form but will be increas­ingly
liable to the consequences of improper con­trol
and insufficient procedures.
Controls and procedures are vital because they
provide respectively for detection of errors and in­consistencies
and set systems standards, operator
instructions and off-line protection for all relevant
data.
The first aspect of EDP protection, systems con­trols,
is divided into the two phases of editing—or
analysis of information put into the records system
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