Data Leakage from Discarded Hard Drives: What Can Businesses Do to Mitigate the Risk?

It’s hard to believe, but many companies still don’t take steps to ensure secure data disposal of old hardware. This can be a huge risk for businesses, as discarded hard drives can easily leak sensitive information that could have serious consequences. At Cameo, we know how important it is to keep customer data safe—but what strategies should they use to mitigate the risks associated with discarding old hardware? 

 

First, it’s important to understand why data leakage is such a concern. Cyber attacks are becoming increasingly common and leaving data exposed on discarded hard drives is like rolling out the welcome mat for hackers. A recent survey found that nearly 1 in 4 companies had experienced at least one data breach due to insecure disposal of equipment. That’s a surprisingly high number! 

 

The first step is to make sure all drives are properly wiped before disposal. This means erasing any residual data that may still be on the drive. If a drive isn’t properly wiped, it could still contain sensitive information that could be recovered. To do it properly, at Cameo we use White Canyon Software. It’s quite a bit more sophisticated than “right-click – move to bin”. Using random patterns of 0’s and 1’s to overwrite any and all data, it ensures no recoverable residue information is left behind.

 

But what about drives that aren’t working anymore? Those are safe, right?

Sadly, that’s not the case. A determined party with malicious intent can still recover sensitive information from those.
The good news is that it doesn’t take a lot of effort or expense to make sure your data is safely disposed of. One of the most effective methods is physical destruction – shredding discs and crushing hard drives. This ensures that no one can retrieve any information from the drive itself. But this approach isn’t always practical for companies that have a large volume of equipment to dispose of. 

 

That’s why businesses should consider investing in professional data destruction services. We specialize in securely disposing of hardware, and we can handle any size job. Plus, we offer full reports and certifications to assure compliance with industry standards and regulations.

 

Finally, companies should also make sure their employees are informed about the risks associated with improper disposal of hardware. Education is key when it comes to protecting your business from data leakage – and having an established policy on how hardware should be safely disposed of is an essential part of that process. 

 

Data leakage from discarded hard drives can have serious consequences for businesses – but it doesn’t have to be a major risk. By taking the right steps to securely dispose of hardware, Cameo can help ensure that their customer data remains safe and secure.