Data security is of the utmost importance in your business. Protecting user information is your responsibility. When it comes time to dispose of old hardware such as hard drives or other storage media, it is important that the data on these items are properly removed. The proper way to remove data is by destroying all hardware so that data nobody can retrieve it any longer. To ensure your company is in regulatory compliance and that all information is properly destroyed, it is essential to develop a media destruction policy for your business.
Steps for Creating a Media Destruction Policy
One of the first steps in developing a media destruction policy is to figure out how to store sensitive information before it is time to destroy it. For most businesses, it is not possible to destroy old hardware immediately. Therefore, it is important to secure this information in the meantime. Consider storing sensitive information in a secure, locked location.
The next logical step is to create a schedule for destroying old storage media. It is not always feasible for a company to rely on staff to perform proper media destruction. In most cases, it is best to partner with a service that specializes in destroying sensitive data storage media.
It is also important to create a process for hard drive destruction. You cannot simply toss hard drives in the garbage. The only way to ensure complete removal of the data on hard drives is through physical destruction. If you do not have access to high-security data destruction machines, then you can use an electronic media destruction service that uses high-security data destruction machines to physically destroy hard drives.
Finally, speak with experienced data security technical experts who can help you develop a media destruction policy. They can review, update, or create a policy specific to your business that meets regulatory compliance.
Contact us today for more information. We provide services that enable companies to properly manage the destruction and disposition of electronic data storage media.
