With the proliferation of computer hacking and its slant toward glamour among young people looking for status, stealing information from computers—specifically, the data storage devices in them, is increasing. Status is not the only driver and end to data theft, however. A large percentage of the time, the goal of the computer hackers is to make money by selling stolen data, exploiting its secrets for various types of gain, or outright identity theft. In general, there are strong motives behind data theft; therefore, any organization or person looking to maintain the privacy of their data must take its protection seriously.
United States regulations (HIPAA laws) bound the medical providers to protect patient data from theft or unauthorized use. Violation of these laws merits penalties depending on the extent of the violation. Organizations have various ways of dealing with data protection. However, they are often not practical and carry a risk of theft though computer administrators might not realize it. Furthermore, some circles believe that a malfunctioning data storage device renders data therein irretrievable. The devices are tossed out with the rest of the garbage without knowing that technically-proficient computer hardware tinkerers can retrieve data. In some cases, a data storage device owner will attempt to run computer software to erase the contents of the device, not fully understanding what they are doing, creating more of a risk.
Using equipment specifically designed to render data storage devices unreadable is better when data theft carries a high risk. It is true when large organizations require routine accounting and disposal of computers and data storage devices, like hard drives. Some computers contain embedded storage devices and you have to take the entire motherboard out to remove them. It makes specialized equipment a more practical approach to data destruction. Contact us for a consultation.
