Some breaches of data security can be the result of data hacks, such as the Equifax breach in 2017. Equifax holds personal information on millions of consumers in databases including names, addresses, social security numbers, credit and financial information. The company reported that the hack into their systems was so complete that sensitive information on almost half the population of the U.S. was accessed. According to research from Javelin Strategy and Research, stolen identities resulted in $16 billion of theft in 2016. (https://www.cnbc.com/2017/02/01/consumers-lost-more-than-16b-to-fraud-and-identity-theft-last-year.html) With rewards on this scale, cyber criminals are constantly probing for any weak links in the life cycle of stored data, and an important element in any cyber security solution is the secure disposal of the hardware that holds personal information.
Outsource or In-house
The ability of forensic software to recover data means that deleting or overwriting files is no longer an effective way of destroying sensitive digital data. The only guaranteed way to do this is to physically destroy the storage device. The decision on whether to destroy obsolete hardware in-house or to outsource the process should take into consideration the type and volume of information that is being stored and how often storage devices will be destroyed.
Outsource
Companies often find it more convenient and cost effective to contract this out to a reputable dedicated data disposal company. A specialist company is able to stay current with evolving legislation concerning data disposal. It has the specialist equipment designed to securely destroy data storage media. Phiston Technologies offers a leading data destruction service for a range of media devices. We will also provide a Certificate of Destruction for your audit requirements. Visit us here for more information.
In-house
Physically destroying a storage device requires specialist equipment. This is because someone can still retrieve data from a significant fractions of a disk. Investing in a shredding unit that has a long service life can be a financially viable option. It allows a business to maintain absolute oversight over the information it holds. To help ensure businesses are compliant with the latest data protection regulations, Phiston Technologies design and manufacturer bespoke equipment for the safe as well as complete destruction of a range of data storage media. The leading innovator in the market, Phiston Technologies has clients that include state institutions and corporations such as Facebook and Symantec as well as numerous small to medium size businesses. If you need to securely dispose of medical information, financial data or other sensitive digital data, contact us.
