The amount of sensitive data—from client information to internal financial records—handled by businesses can be hard to imagine. Ensuring none of it is stolen and abused is a critical task for IT specialists. Data security doesn’t stop when devices are replaced, though; the data on end-of-life assets can be accessed by anyone who gets their hands on them, whether in the landfill or in a second-hand store. Turning to an electronics recycling company for the disposal of deprecated assets provides insurance that this data won’t be abused.
Why Throwing It Away Isn’t Enough
By design, non-volatile data storage such as hard drives or flash memory is persistent, able to preserve data for years. This is good when you’re using the device but troublesome for data security. Deleting files by conventional means or formatting the drive doesn’t actually remove the data, only the reference to where it’s stored in memory. (Alprazolam) Even taking a hammer to the drive may not be enough; a determined criminal could gather and reassemble the platters in an HDD, and the data will still be largely intact.
As a result, more thorough data destruction is vital for preserving confidentiality and safely disposing of or reusing electronic storage and devices. Multiple industry standards exist for physical and digital methods.
Digital Sanitization
Digital data sanitization varies based on the storage medium but generally involves repeatedly overwriting data sectors to remove any traces of coherent data. Each pass uses a different algorithm for how bits should be overwritten, either randomly or by a set pattern. Alternatively, the drive can be encrypted and the encryption key destroyed thusly. So long as the hardware protocols for accessing data are preserved, the device can be reused.
Selling Your Used Hardware Makes Valuable Fiscal and Environmental Sense
Destruction and Recycling
When necessary, the physical destruction of storage drives can render it impossible to retrieve any data. If there is no intent for the device to be reusable, this provides a higher degree of security. Degaussing quickly destroys the magnetic field within HDDs or tape drives, rendering them inoperable. The device can also be shredded, typically when degaussing isn’t effective, such as with solid-state drives. In either case, the materials are then prepared for recycling.
Best Practices
Industry leaders like TechWaste Recycling use data destruction methods that adhere to standards set by the Department of Defense and the National Institute for Standards and Technology. Backed up by proper documentation and certification, these services offer data security solutions that are vital as information technology becomes more relevant in modern business.
TechWaste Recycling directly services all of Southern California and provides pickup services to its facilities from nationwide locations. Visit TechWaste Recycling’s website at www.techwasterecycling.com to schedule a pickup that works for your convenience and schedule.
Learn more about TechWaste’s data destruction process here: Secure Data Destruction Services
Contact Info:
Richard Steffens
1940 E. Occidental street
Santa Ana, CA 92705
Phone: 866-637-8469
