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Hard drive and media destruction is the ONLY way to make sure all of your confidential data is destroyed correctly? A single hard drive can contain hundreds, even thousands of personal data files, especially in sensitive industries such as healthcare, legal services, and financial services.
In August 2019, personal information such as names and bank account numbers for 29,000 Facebook employees stored on unencrypted hard drives was stolen by a thief from a payroll worker.
Data theft by stolen or lost hard drive is one of the oldest types of computer security “breaches.” So, when a company decides to eliminate the piles of old disks, CDs, and hard drives, properly discarding the data should be a top priority.
Why is it so important to securely destroy old hard drives?
Here are 5 Reasons Hard Drive and Media Destruction are Important.
DIY Disposal and Destruction is Not the Solution. DIY destruction methods such as driving nails or a hammer to hardware are not safe. In addition, many believe that a ‘factory reset” of a device will erase all of the data, and it is now clean. Data can still be retrieved by experts using advanced recovery software. A guarantee of information disposal requires the physical destruction of hardware.
Prevent Data Breach: Destruction of old or obsolete electronic devices is the only way to cut off access to sensitive data completely. Deleted information can easily be retrievable, even if a file is deleted or reformatted, which does not prevent information from being stolen. In addition, storing old tapes or hard drives is a liability. There is always the risk that the devices can be stolen, exposing confidential files and leading to a data breach. A data breach can be extremely damaging to anyone who does business with you. In other words, It is in your best interest to ensure that confidential data doesn’t fall into the wrong hand for your business and your clients.
Free Up Important Office Space: Your business needs to have a plan to properly manage your data. And, one crucial part of the process is to clean out cluttered areas. Stockpiling old disks and drives can take up a significant amount of space in your office. Cabinets or storage rooms get filled up with obsolete electronic devices which never get disposed of correctly. Safe destruction from a professional shredding company will not only be cost-effective but will also free up space, so you have more room in your office.
Comply with Business Privacy Laws: Businesses must comply with privacy laws designed to keep consumers safe. The Federal Trade Commission has specific guidelines that require businesses to securely and properly dispose of hard drives that are no longer needed. If not done correctly, your company may face penalties. Depending on your industry, you may meet even stricter standards from laws like HIPAA and FACTA. To avoid these accusations, partnering with a professional shredding company can ensure proper destruction and provide knowledge of these regulations. In addition, providing necessary proof of destruction is a great solution.
Protecting Your Company’s Reputation: Practicing proper and secure destruction of devices will convey to your customers, employees, and stakeholders that you take data security practices very seriously. They will appreciate your diligence in protecting their information. Nothing will ruin your company’s reputation and profits faster than a data breach and exposing their private information. It’s a value add to everyone.
Protect your confidential data. Contact us to learn more about hard drive and media destruction services.