Securely Destroying Data

In our world of growing technologies, it seems like data security is always being talked about. From changing your passwords promptly to securing the information you send over the cloud, there is still something to consider. However, sometimes people forget that valuable information is stored on hard drives, even long after you continue using old pieces of technology. If you have an old computer or laptop, for example, you need to know how to securely destroy data that may still be in the hard drive. Here are a few effective forms of data destruction.

One way to go about this is to overwrite the contents on your hard drive. Just because you delete the information and you might not be able to see the files on your computer any more does not mean that a backup is saved to the hard drive. When overwriting on the drive, it’s best to use a series of 1’s, 0’s, or a random set of data. This will make the information that you had stored unreadable. Using software such as Eraser to wipe information is another good option. A good thing about Eraser, for example, is that it allows you to wipe only specific files or areas of your hard drive.

Physically destroying your hard drive is another option. However, with this, you must make sure that the pieces are small enough because sometimes parts of the hard drive are big enough that information can still be gathered from it. To be sure that it is destroyed, it is best to go to an outsourced company where they will ultimately destroy or incinerate the hard drive. Another option is to take your old piece of technology to a data destruction facility such as WC Recycler or ask for a quote to have it picked up. They will ensure that your data will ultimately be destroyed and your personal information will remain secure.