How You Should NOT Be Destroying Your Hard Drives

Have you thought about how to keep your old hard drive data secure when it’s time for new hardware? In an old wartime military manual, there’s a chapter on destroying equipment to avoid enemy capture, and the methods include cutting internal wires using axes and machetes, burning the hardware using flame throwers or incendiary grenades, bending panels and chassis, as well as using firearms or grenades. The final step simply says, “destroy everything.” 

Data Destruction Uses Science

It might be tempting to try these and other creative approaches to ensure that hard drive data is obliterated for good. However, these options involve a lot of unnecessary risks. Let us definitively say that we do not recommend any of these methods. In fact, we offer much better and less dangerous options for data destruction using scientific methods to be sure that data is inaccessible.

Modern Missteps in Data Destruction

1. Disposing of Hardware in a Lake, Trash Can, Recycle Bin, Storage Unit, or Outer Space: Anywhere that bypasses data removal is a risky proposition.
2. File Deletion: Often, this is simply the removal of the file name from the directory, and the data remains intact.
3. Reformatting: This involves removing your direct access to the data, but the data is still available.
4. Wiping and Degaussing: Magnetic data storage is hard to clear with 100% certainty, and pros can often restore it.
5. Smashing, Blow Torching, Bathing in Acid, Using as Target Practice: You can do your worst and still leave data lingering.

Leaving Your Data Exposed

Many of these misguided techniques leave your company’s data exposed to reasonably savvy hackers, and most of them are vulnerable to professionals who use advanced forensic techniques to recover data as evidence. It is ironic that it can be so easy to “lose” data, yet it sticks around so tenaciously in one way or another. What you need is a provider like Keystone Technology Management, a leading hard drive shredder in New York.

The Solution: Use a Data Destruction Process and a Professional Provider

Keystone Technology Management provides expert decommissioning of hard drives, thumb drives, plus on-site hard drive destruction. Our process is clear and tested, and the results are certified, HIPAA compliant, and complete. Call us to find out more.