Data protection is one of the most important business priorities for 2018. Increased data regulation and public backlash for poor security are forcing companies to build up internal cybersecurity procedures and fast responses to data leaks. In response to this, more and more companies are switching to data storage in the cloud. When third parties are responsible for the data, and one of their only responsibilities is data security, everything feels a bit more secure. But that still leaves you with the physical data infrastructure, like hard drives and servers, that used to house the data.
Storing outdated hard drives is a liability.
It’s easy to just leave the defunct technology where it was or lock it up in a storage closet. But that old memory bank is a large liability for your company. The data still sits in the device, even if you deleted the files and did your best to remove any lingering fragments of personally identifiable information. If the machine is left plugged in or inactive on the network, malicious actors can still reach it. Even if you completely disconnect it from the network or a power source, thieves can still take it. Future employees down the line may also use it, repurpose it, or leave it behind when your company changes locations. No matter what happens, your company is still responsible for the damage to the unprotected data.
Destroy them onsite and immediately instead.
The only way to ensure the information is completely inaccessible is to destroy the device that housed the data. Every inch of the physical memory-storing components needs to be crushed, punctured, and torn into irreparable parts. It is the only way to reduce the risk of partial data recovery or the possibility and recreating the device.
Onsite destruction gives you another layer of protection. Even with a trusted hard drive destruction company, you don’t know that your devices didn’t slip through the cracks. Go to Phiston Technologies here to find easy-to-operate products that you can use to destroy old hard drives before they even leave your office.
