School is just about on summer break. So, it is quiz time. It’s true/false, as we explore what you thought you knew about hard drive destruction.
- All hard drives are the same.
- Deleting my data makes it impossible to recover.
- Wiping my SSD drive works the same way as wiping my HDD drive.
- My waste hauler will make sure my drives are degaussed.
- I am not liable for personal information stolen once I give my old storage media to a company for destruction.
- Destroying storage media in-house is expensive.
- If I keep my old storage media on-site I have nothing to worry about.
- I’m not responsible for personal information an employee saves on a company owned device.
- Using a drill or press to put a single hole through my storage media is sufficient to render it unreadable.
- My company isn’t a target to have its data stolen.
If you answer true to any of the ten questions about hard drive destruction, it is incorrect. Let’s look at the truth behind destroying storage media.
There are two types of storage media in general use today:
SSD and HDD
SSD drives, also called Flash Storage are found in PC’s, Laptops, Tablets, Cell Phones, PDAs, USB drives and even in some of the newest servers on the market. These drives work by digitally storing data. HDD drives work by physically storing data. The differences in how they work require different destruction methodology.
Deleting data only changes the file name; however, the data remains on the drive until it is overwritten by other data. This is how you can retrieve information from the recycle bin on your desktop. With SSD drives because the data isn’t physically stored on magnetic media, this process does not work as well as it does for HDD drives.
Wiping drives
Wiping an SSD drive requires a different process than an HDD. Overwriting the data on an SSD even using NSA-approved methods for HDD drives does not completely eradicate the data. However, SSD drives generally encrypt data automatically, and if you destroy the encryption key, the data is lost forever. Do you know how to destroy the encryption key?
Certificate of destruction
Disposing of storage media with a certificate of destruction issued after the fact is a standard method of disposing of used media. For it to be effective, the drives need to be destroyed beyond repair and the data removed. As mentioned above the removal of data (HDD) and making data unavailable through encryption (SSD) work. You need to do it before you give it to the disposal firm. If you require them to do it have you audited both the data wipe and the destruction? If not how do you know it was done properly?
Making holes in the drive
Using a drill or automated punch press to destroy a drive is effective if you make multiple holes in the drive. For SSD drives if the encryption key is still available there is a chance that the some of the data will be retrieved. A single hole in any storage media will not necessarily make the entire drive unreadable. This method is also fraught with EHS (Employee Health and Safety) issues from punctured or crushed hands or fingers to repetitive motion issues as well.
Your state may not have a law that requires you to protect employee personal information that they store on your computer devices for personal use. However, in a lawsuit that may not matter. Even if it doesn’t come to a lawsuit, it could still result in employee relations issues.
Data protection plan
Every company is now culturally expected to have a data protection plan and a data security plan in place. You may not be a target for hackers. But, employees mishandling secure data is as big a threat as hackers. More data breaches occur because of employee mishandling of data devices than hackers breaking into a system.
Contact Phiston
Phiston Technologies provides methods to remediate these potential difficulties in data security by offering a full line of media destruction technology. Their product line meets the US and Canadian security specifications. They are cost effective, easy to operate, and also safe with HEPA filters and hands-free operation.
To get more information about hard drive destruction, please Contact Us. Thanks.
