Data destruction: How to carry out the destruction of confidential, financial or private data stored a computer, laptop, server, hard drive or SSD to prevent unauthorised access and fraudulent use?
Why is data destruction an important process?
Data destruction is an important process which consists of destroying the data stored on hard drives or SSD so that it cannot be accessed by unauthorised users or used for unauthorised purposes. Unauthorised access or access to data for fraud is a particular concern for companies and organisations – including financial companies, marketing agencies, health professionals and hospitals, educational organisations and other businesses, looking to sell and renew their equipment.
Certified data destruction services by Data Doctor
With an average lifespan of five years, business computers handle a lot of sensitive information – including financial information and private customer information – which can be at risk. In the lead up to the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) coming into effect on the 25th May 2018, making sure all data is completely destroyed before disposing of your IT equipment is more important than ever. Data protection and security is now the complete responsibility of every business managing databases and private information. Non-compliance and failure to protect it and letting in slip into the wrong hands can have serious consequences for a business.
Choose certified data destruction services for increased compliance
Many companies will offer data destruction services. Businesses looking to get this type of service done need to look for certified service providers who are compliant with the Data Protection Act and use reliable data destroyer techniques to ensure 100% robust and assured results. An ISO 27001 accreditation is also an excellent assurance that the company can be trusted to carry out this type of work.
There are different ways to wipe data from a drive, from data shredding carried out by the complete destruction of the drive to data erasure, where all information is overwritten and completely wiped. The key is to be able to get a certificate to confirm full compliance with data protection laws to avoid any data breach. Destruction can either be done off-site or on-site.
To find out more about data destruction, or to discuss the secure disposal of your IT hardware, contact Data Doctor on 020 7394 2529.