Data Destruction And How It Secures Your Business

More data has been created in the past five years than in the entire previous history of the human race. The rising swell of digitization has elicited unforeseen issues in the online world, and, specifically, problems in the securitization of data. Cybercriminals are not, however, limited to those who can bypass security measures to access sensitive data. It can also include those who access still-existing data on discarded hardware. Technologically-adept users possess the ability to retrieve data from storage media and harddrives that previous owners had believed to be erased. They can then co-opt that data to commit crimes, from the individual level of identity theft, to the corporate level of ransomware. For this reason, the practice of data destruction has become a necessity in the insurance of data protection.

What Is Data Destruction?

Data destruction is the process of eradicating data from end-of-life storage devices such as tapes, harddrives, and hard disks. While the simple deletion of data by an end-user prevents access, that data still exists in deeper regions of devices. Data destruction includes specialized processes of reaching these deeper regions in order to completely wipe information and ensure that it can no longer be read. It is the only method to effectively safeguard information from potential breaches.

When Is Data Destruction Used?

Data destruction occurs when a device has reached the end of its lifespan. Even damaged or apparently broken hardware still contains retrievable information. Oftentimes, hardware reaches the end of its utilitarian value simply because new and more advanced technology has been released for widespread use. While IT Asset Disposition companies specialize in the safe disposal of these devices, it is vital for data security to thoroughly erase pre-existing information prior to this step.

Why Is Data Destruction Important?

The privacy of information is the essential concern of every company. When sensitive data is accessed by unauthorized users, a litany of crimes can occur in consequence. Private users may experience anything from identity fraud to financial theft, while large corporations can be victims of ransomware, where necessary information is held hostage through encryption and restored only upon payment of a ransom. Data Destruction prohibits these crimes and many more by eliminating that information before it can be accessed by cybercriminals. The importance of information security has even necessitated certificates of safe procedure from companies that operate in the destruction of data. As companies are responsible for the protection of customer and employee information, the practice of complete data erasure holds value for all parties involved.

What Are Examples Of Data Destruction?

Data Destruction presents in three methods with varying degrees of costs and benefits: overwriting, degaussing, and physical destruction.

1. Overwriting refers to the process of writing information over pre-existing data. It is performed using software that saves new information in the same location as that intended for deletion. In principle, it functions in the same way that saving a word document with the same name as an old one erases the previous document. While overwriting is the most sustainable method, it only works on hardware that is still functioning and cannot ensure absolute sanitization.
2. Degaussing entails the use of a high-powered magnet that disrupts the electromagnetic field present in storage disks and hard drives. While it is highly effective and almost entirely secure, it may also render hardware unusable due to its efficacy. For example, degaussing has the potential to destroy servo control data, a permanently embedded series of signals that allows hardware to function. As a result, it is more commonly used when a device is not intended for reuse.
3. Physical Destruction can take the form of incineration, pulverization, and, most commonly, disk shredding. The disintegration of hardware renders it unusable and unreadable, and therefore provides a highly secure method of protecting information. However, new technology such as Solid State Drives (SSDs) can still contain information, as their extremely dense storage of data means that it can sometimes still be recovered from shredded fragments. Although largely considered a fail safe method, physical destruction can nonetheless produce risks itself.

Data Destruction companies will often perform all three methods in order to guarantee complete erasure. However, each method poses different perks and different disadvantages. While overwriting is generally considered the most cost-effective option, degaussing and physical destruction have proven more effective. At the same time, degaussing involves the use of expensive and cumbersome equipment, and physical destruction prevents resale and contributes to the ever-growing rise of e-waste. The choice of method depends on the type of device and plans for its disposal, whether that be through recycling, re-marketing, or dumping.

What Is A Data Destruction Certificate?

A certificate of data destruction verifies that the hired company has taken all precaution to ensure the erasure of targeted data. While companies specializing in Data Destruction issue such paper certificates to their customers, they are not legally backed. Only Digital Data Sanitation Reports provide necessary legal support, as these can only be produced by software once the process of data destruction has been completed. Furthermore, trusted Data Destruction companies possess certificates from such authoritative bodies as the National Association of Information Destruction (NAID) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Only companies that comply with regulations and standards set forth by these, or similarly governing entities, should be considered safe, secure, and efficient proponents of data destruction.

Data Destruction FAQs

How does data destruction help my company stay safe?
Data destruction best practices ensure that confidential information is never compromised. It prevents access to intellectual property, sensitive data, and personal information such as credit card and banking information, as well as usernames and passwords. The ensured sanitization of data shields companies from security breaches that may even result in the exposure of legal documents, financial records, supplier information, and intra-company correspondence. Specialized practices of data erasure guarantee that these kinds of data never reach unauthorized hands.

What is secure data destruction?

Secure data destruction promises that sensitive data is completely removed from retired devices. Data Destruction can be carried out in various ways, but the secure removal adheres to protocols outlined by privacy acts and industry standards, such as those described by the NAID and NIST. Onsite destruction, for example, involves mobile degaussers and methods of physical destruction performed on location, ensuring destruction by operating under customer supervision. Offsite destruction assures security through item tracking and chain-of-custody documentation, which continually charts the progression of a device throughout the process of data destruction.

What is data destruction policy?

Organizations specializing in the secure destruction of data must comply with all industry, state, and federal requirements. Their policies regarding data erasure should include open instructions on the treatment of each device and type of hardware, as well as acknowledgement of the specific risks associated with their procedures. A data destruction policy guarantees not only security, but legal and ethical procedure as well.

Conclusion

Data Destruction eliminates the risk of disposing retired electronic devices and storage media. When discarding hardware, only NAID certified companies can properly remove sensitive data and protect users from information leaks. While there are many methods of data management, and many companies to implement them, verified organizations prove the most secure sanitization of data, ensuring that confidential data will never be jeopardized.