Student consolidation loans need to be a secure process; that is why Student Financial Advisors adopted a clean desk area policy that requires members and employees to properly secure all records containing social security numbers. At several predetermined times throughout the day, each work area is reviewed to assure that sensitive information is not unnecessarily exposed.

We adhere to a strict visitor policy outside visits are kept to an absolute minimum. When a visit is necessary, we follow a standard procedure requiring the visitor to wait in the reception area until we are sure no sensitive data are exposed.

When discarding or destroying any records containing social security numbers, we use only crosscut shredders to guarantee maximum protection and confidentiality. At the end of each workday, a designated employee is responsible for making sure all necessary shredding is complete.

When transmitting any social security number via e-mail, the social security number is encrypted. Additionally, the only documents with social security numbers on them sent thorough either the U.S. Postal Service or any overnight carrier are applications, forms or required reports.

At the close of each workday, a designated employee is responsible for ensuring all sensitive data are placed in the appropriate, locked cabinet.

Additional information processing safeguarding procedures employed by Student Financial Advisors include:

• Electronic records are encrypted; back-up media are stored in locked cabinets.
• Paper records containing social security numbers are stored in locked cabinets.
• Any access to records containing social security numbers on computers requires authorized access.
• All computers automatically lock after a predetermined period of non-use; to unlock them requires authorized access.

The security of your information is our top priority. With respect to preventing and detecting unauthorized access to this information, we use robust firewalls to protect our systems from external threats. Our intrusion detection systems generate detailed activity logs which we continually monitor so as to be apprised of any potentially malicious behavior by unscrupulous interlopers. Furthermore, all of our systems are hardened and are compliant with vendor-supplied security best-practices, are updated in response to CERT advisories and are regularly assessed for emerging security vulnerabilities. If such vulnerabilities are discovered, they are immediately addressed. Finally, all of our systems run a combination of the finest antivirus, anti-spyware and anti-phishing software available today.

We have practices in place to immediately respond to any intrusion, no matter how unlikely such an occurrence may be. A forensic system analysis will be performed to discover if any sensitive borrower information may have been accessed. If this is the case, we promptly notify any such borrower that their records have been compromised.