While people tend to think of a data breach as something that happens as a result of malware or website hacking, this problem has existed longer than the internet. Computer hard drives can expose sensitive information if they fall into the wrong hands.
It may occasionally make sense for your business to keep an old unit, but it’s often best to destroy old hard drive. Older hard disks hold little value. They’re much more likely to fail and don’t run as quickly as new hardware.
Risks
If your company stacks these units in a closet or just throws them away, it faces some serious risks. A data breach could trigger government penalties, legal action or negative coverage in the news media.
It isn’t enough to delete the files on a drive. Someone with the right technical abilities can recover this information. Likewise, it remains possible to retrieve data from units that have suffered mechanical failures.
Contents
You may not need to destroy old hard drive if it contains no confidential material. However, the reality is that most drives hold some sort of personal information, proprietary business data, passwords or internet browsing records.
Backups
When you have a legitimate reason to retain backup copies of the files, you might benefit from keeping old drives. You should only do this if you have a secure storage area and plan to retain compatible computer equipment.
On the other hand, you could transfer all of the information to cloud storage or newer, smaller devices. It always costs money to own or rent space, and the storage of obsolete hard drives probably isn’t an efficient use of it.
If you decide to maximize data security by banishing old equipment, we can help. Our hard disk destruction experts know how to completely eliminate unwanted drives so that the files can never be recovered. Please contact us to learn more.
