If you think you or your business are only at risk with confidential information stored on paper, think again.
Electronics that contain confidential data should be at the top of the destruction list. Most people or business owners do not understand the personal risk involved when discarding their used electronics. The information stored on a data-containing device can often include credit card numbers, bank account numbers, social security numbers, client and patient information, trade secrets, financial records … you get the idea.
You can imagine who might find that information useful once you have dropped it off for disposal at a local thrift store or recycling event. There is a possibility that the information stored on the hard drive will never be used improperly, but there is also a chance that it might fall into the hands of a criminal looking to steal a person's identity or confidential business information.
Common Types of Electronics that Contain Confidential Data
One of the most important types of electronics that need 100 percent destruction is the brains that run your company: hard drives.
There are many other types of electronics that contain sensitive data and should be destroyed after they are no longer needed. Some important ones to consider include flash or thumb drives, PDAs (Palm Pilots, Pocket PCs and Smart phones) and copier/printers.
How to achieve 100 percent data destruction
You have probably read or heard someone make the statement that once a hard drive has been erased, the data is permanently removed. That statement is not true.
Using a Department of Defense wipe (often called a "DoD wipe") is a helpful deterrent for casual data snoops, but a determined hacker can dig into the guts of the hard drive and obtain old data. The magnetic surface of the hard drive has residual traces of the data, which, with perseverance and the right tools, can be recovered. The only secure ways to permanently destroy your unwanted data is to physically destroy the hard drive and other data containing devices.
Some important factors to consider when choosing a data destruction company:
• National Association of Information Destruction (NAID) AAA Certified for Hard Drive Destruction: Look for a company that has this certification. This ensures your data will be destroyed 100 percent.
• On-site destruction: An excellent method because you can view the destruction on site without ever having to leave your office.
• Off-site destruction: also a viable option, but make sure the company offers video verification and records all the serial numbers of the hard drives being destroyed.
• Approved Electronics Recycler: Make sure the remains of the hard drive or data-containing device go to an approved electronics recycler who shred the device.
• 100 percent Recycling: All shredded material will eventually be recycled, saving natural resources by means of a material sorting system. These systems allow for the recapture the basic materials found in hard drives such as aluminum, stainless steel, ferrous metal, plastic and circuit boards.
For more information, contact
Tweddell at [email protected].
Electronics that contain confidential data should be at the top of the destruction list. Most people or business owners do not understand the personal risk involved when discarding their used electronics. The information stored on a data-containing device can often include credit card numbers, bank account numbers, social security numbers, client and patient information, trade secrets, financial records … you get the idea.
You can imagine who might find that information useful once you have dropped it off for disposal at a local thrift store or recycling event. There is a possibility that the information stored on the hard drive will never be used improperly, but there is also a chance that it might fall into the hands of a criminal looking to steal a person's identity or confidential business information.
Common Types of Electronics that Contain Confidential Data
One of the most important types of electronics that need 100 percent destruction is the brains that run your company: hard drives.
There are many other types of electronics that contain sensitive data and should be destroyed after they are no longer needed. Some important ones to consider include flash or thumb drives, PDAs (Palm Pilots, Pocket PCs and Smart phones) and copier/printers.
How to achieve 100 percent data destruction
You have probably read or heard someone make the statement that once a hard drive has been erased, the data is permanently removed. That statement is not true.
Using a Department of Defense wipe (often called a "DoD wipe") is a helpful deterrent for casual data snoops, but a determined hacker can dig into the guts of the hard drive and obtain old data. The magnetic surface of the hard drive has residual traces of the data, which, with perseverance and the right tools, can be recovered. The only secure ways to permanently destroy your unwanted data is to physically destroy the hard drive and other data containing devices.
Some important factors to consider when choosing a data destruction company:
• National Association of Information Destruction (NAID) AAA Certified for Hard Drive Destruction: Look for a company that has this certification. This ensures your data will be destroyed 100 percent.
• On-site destruction: An excellent method because you can view the destruction on site without ever having to leave your office.
• Off-site destruction: also a viable option, but make sure the company offers video verification and records all the serial numbers of the hard drives being destroyed.
• Approved Electronics Recycler: Make sure the remains of the hard drive or data-containing device go to an approved electronics recycler who shred the device.
• 100 percent Recycling: All shredded material will eventually be recycled, saving natural resources by means of a material sorting system. These systems allow for the recapture the basic materials found in hard drives such as aluminum, stainless steel, ferrous metal, plastic and circuit boards.
For more information, contact
Tweddell at [email protected].