Do you simply dispose of old external drives and computers when upgrading with newer models?
Your sensitive data could be at risk.
According to a new study conducted by a data-recovery specialist, millions of deleted files may be recoverable from hard drives sold online which have been incorrectly erased.
Cyber criminals purchase used hard drives with the intent of recovering data that could range from client details to confidential company data.
As excitement for new technology arises, it can be easy to forget old data. Before disposing of an old drive, however, it is vital that you consider its content.
Recovery may still be possible even if your drive has been encrypted, and even damaged drives have a chance of recovering some data if properly cared for. With sensitive information at stake, it is always wise to err on the side of caution and back-up all available copies before trying anything drastic like wiping and/or formatting drives.
Consider this: Would you allow important documents to lie around unprotected? No way! Similarly, digital data needs to be safeguarded accordingly.
What measures can be taken to protect yourself?
Do not allow an old hard drive to become an expense. Before disposing of them, make sure they are securely erased or destroyed - hiring a professional for data transfer may provide extra assurance that everything has been thoroughly destroyed.
But this process goes beyond you - it's also about protecting employees, clients and anyone else with information stored on an old drive.
Make an investment to gain peace of mind that your data is safe from outside interference.
Take steps to protect your data.
Implement proper hard drive destruction protocols or hire a professional to upgrade hardware for optimal security measures, and strengthen overall protection measures.
Your sensitive data could be at risk.
According to a new study conducted by a data-recovery specialist, millions of deleted files may be recoverable from hard drives sold online which have been incorrectly erased.
Cyber criminals purchase used hard drives with the intent of recovering data that could range from client details to confidential company data.
As excitement for new technology arises, it can be easy to forget old data. Before disposing of an old drive, however, it is vital that you consider its content.
Recovery may still be possible even if your drive has been encrypted, and even damaged drives have a chance of recovering some data if properly cared for. With sensitive information at stake, it is always wise to err on the side of caution and back-up all available copies before trying anything drastic like wiping and/or formatting drives.
Consider this: Would you allow important documents to lie around unprotected? No way! Similarly, digital data needs to be safeguarded accordingly.
What measures can be taken to protect yourself?
Do not allow an old hard drive to become an expense. Before disposing of them, make sure they are securely erased or destroyed - hiring a professional for data transfer may provide extra assurance that everything has been thoroughly destroyed.
But this process goes beyond you - it's also about protecting employees, clients and anyone else with information stored on an old drive.
Make an investment to gain peace of mind that your data is safe from outside interference.
Take steps to protect your data.
Implement proper hard drive destruction protocols or hire a professional to upgrade hardware for optimal security measures, and strengthen overall protection measures.
