Don’t Toss Your Hard Drive In the Trash. Destroy It!

Don’t Toss Your Hard Drive In the Trash. Destroy It!

The amount of data that businesses keep on computer hard drives and other data components may be hard to quantify, but the fact of the matter is, these devices are a treasure chest of sensitive information. Obsolete hard drives and old computers must be treated with discretion; when their time is up, they must be destroyed in the same manner as their paper counterparts.

The hard drive is, in a nutshell, your computer’s storage device. Everything you keep on your computer is stored here. This type of data is not exclusive to documents, pictures, music, and videos. Your programs, your preferences, even your operating system—they’re all stored on your computer’s hard drive.

If you are upgrading to a new computer, don’t just toss it in the trash or send it to a recycling facility. The information kept on the hard drive is stored indefinitely, even if the device is inoperable. It is imperative to remove and destroy the hard drive before selling, donating, or recycling the equipment. Failure to skip this step could result in compromising your information; whomever has access to the old device can copy old files, view your trade secrets, open employee files, or worse, steal your bank account information. What’s more, the fines and penalties for compromised information can be enormous. A violation of the Health Insurance and Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) can reach up to $250,000 and 10 years in prison for each act. A violation of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley act can reach up to $100,000 for each act. Is your reputation, credibility, and business worth all the risk of just tossing your computer in the dumpster?

Before throwing your computer in the trash, consider the ramifications and do some research. There are many options available if you are looking to dispose of an old hard drive. Some professional destruction methods include:

Taking it to a computer recycling company
Mailing it to a hard drive destruction specialist
Bringing it it to a local computer shop that will dispose of it

The most secure way to destroy an old hard drive is to have a professional company physically shred the device for you.

A hard drive shredder is a mechanical device that destroys old hard drives in such a way that the data they contain cannot be recovered. At a minimum, this involves severing every track on every platter in a drive. The most effective way to ensure complete data destruction on a defunct hard drive is to pulverize the assembly, in much the same way as a wood chipper disposes of tree limbs and brush.

Legal Shred’s hard drive destruction securely destroys hard drive data within seconds. Our trucks can shred your hard drives on-site at your location through our mobile shredding service, so you can physically see that the job is done. Legal Shred offers certificates of destruction right on site so you have permanent documentation that you have eliminated the risks of unsecured data.

The benefits speak for themselves. Hard drive destruction will

Prevent identity theft
Eliminate the threat of corporate espionage
Eliminate the possibility of a data breach

Above all, you receive peace of mind that your information is not compromised.

Legal Shred is committed to offering the highest level of security for our clients’ privileged information. Call us today.