Do you want to wipe your hard disk clean? The simplest way to protect your data is by using a hard disk shredder. Here's why it's important.
Are your "deleted" files really deleted? Unfortunately, the answer is no. Using specialized software, hackers and identity thieves can still retrieve this "deleted data."
In one experiment, researchers were able to recover 22,000 deleted files from 8 computers purchased off of eBay.
Although recycling or selling your computer is better than throwing it away, the only real way to protect your sensitive information is to destroy the hard disk.
Keep reading to find out why you need a hard disk shredder to protect your identity or business.
What is a Hard Disk Shredder?
Hard disk shredders are powerful shredders that demolish hard drives beyond recognition. They leave behind only remnants and particles of your hard disk.
However, these machines are usually not limited to hard disks. They can also shred CDs/DVDs, magnetic tape, USB drives, and other media that may contain sensitive information. Industrial machines can actually shred 1000 to 2000 items an hour, making bulk shredding a breeze.
Video of how a hard drive shredder work
Do I Need a Hard Disk Shredder?
The fact is that no matter how much you bend, pierce, burn, or even step on a hard drive of a computer, hackers may still be able to access your "deleted" or sensitive information. The software to extract these sensitive files is not complicated to find or learn, and makes identity theft a growing trend.
Especially if you're a business owner, protecting your company's data in addition to client data is essential. Should sensitive data fall into the wrong hands, your business may face serious legal implications.
Even if you delete data, there are often multiple places on your hard drive that store data, so erasing files within the most obvious places doesn't completely erase the data.
If your business has to dispose of hard disks or other sensitive media, the only way to have complete peace of mind is to assure that the hard disks go through a hard disk shredder.
What Are The Options?
When it comes to hard disk shredding, you can either find on-site or off-site shredding services.
It's always best to try and find on-site services, whether that be purchasing a company hard disk shredder or going into a shredding facility yourself and being there to watch the data be shredded.
However, off-site services for shredding also exist. You ship or otherwise send your data to an organization that specializes in data destruction. This method is less fool-proof than on-site shredding. You're trusting your data to be destroyed, and this inherently carries risk.
Final Thoughts
In 2016, over 15 million Americans had their identity stolen. With so much of our data stolen every day, it's important to do all we can to protect sensitive data from falling into the wrong hands.
Especially if you're a business owner, it's increasingly important to protect client data. If you're dealing with sensitive media on USBs, CDs, or hard drives, consider investing in a hard disk shredder to make sure your clients and company are protected.
For more information on shredding and protecting your sensitive data, visit our blog today.