Before the turn of the century, improper data destruction was relatively easy; the fire that burned down the Library of Alexandria is a testament to that. The shift to keeping valuable and/or sensitive information on digital devices meant that those who want your data had devised methods to obtain it. Just as criminals trawling through garbage for mail led to the advent of shredders and later incinerators, savvy hackers have found ways to splice snippets of data from improperly disposed of hard drives.
Just last year, in Maine, a breach of security at a community health center resulted in nearly 100,000 people’s data being compromised (Health It Security). The cause? Improper disposal of hard drives by an employee at a third-party disposal site. This incident could have caused thousands of patients to have their medical and financial records accessed, along with identifying information. Already the center has handed out complimentary credit monitoring services and up to $1 million in insurance. However, the damage to their reputation could be irreversible.
According to a Popular Mechanics article, 100% physical data destruction is nearly impossible. Unless experts render a hard drive completely unreadable, the data is recoverable. There is a metaphorical arms race, similar to that in cyber-security, of those looking to wipe sensitive information, and those who can, and will, glean information from improper data destruction because of hard drives improperly disposed of. Thankfully, unlike cyber-security, foolproof ways exist of destroying the physical data stored on your hard drives.
About Us
Phiston is an industry leader in data destruction. Agencies like the DOD and companies like Facebook trust us to keep sensitive information and industry secrets safe and secure. However, third-party destruction companies can make mistakes, and may not train employees to industry standards. We are certified to the highest standards for destroying hard drives and other physical data, generally exceeding these requirements. If you need to destroy any information, contact us. Be confident that your data will never fall into the wrong hands.
