Why you need to sanitize or shred external hard drives?

Many people and even business managements still believe that formatting and scrambling an external hard drive with a magnet can permanently wipe off the data it contains. It is a major misconception that can bring about cybersecurity troubles, threatening the health of your business. It is extremely important, especially for data centers and corporate businesses that deal with the transmission and usage of customer data, to only adhere to secure hard drive data destruction processes that are completely secure and compliant with all the local as well as the international regulations.  

Hackers and thieves keep coming up with modern and capable ways of extracting data from electronic storage devices that are thrown away in landfills or not erased or shredded correctly. External hard drives store data on extremely tiny magnetic regions, and a bit is enough for ill-meaning hands to be able to extract information from it. Therefore, businesses need to opt for hard drive data destruction services that are equipped with state-of-the-art sanitization processes and/or modern shredders. It is not responsible to just type in ‘hard drive shredding near me’ on a search engine and go with the first hard drive data destruction or hard drive shredding service that comes up. It should be certified and extremely responsible, like CompuCycle.  

Features of a Reliable Hard Drive Data Destruction 

Reliable and responsible, hard drive data destruction has robust and strict processes, ensuring a provision of fully-secure offerings with both data sanitization as well as hard drive shredding. Their infrastructure is up-to-date and equipped with modern equipment, tools, as well as the most up-to-date sanitation software, while their chain of custody is strict and secure.  

Another thing that significantly matters with data destruction is the quality and capabilities of the shredder. If the shredder is not very powerful and is unable to grind hard drives into minute pieces, there is a good chance that data thieves could retrieve something out from the rubble.  

Some other factors that reliable and certified hard drive data destruction and shredding services ensure to include: 

• CompuCycle certifies all data sanitation performed in their facility complies with the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) 800-88 guidelines and U.S. Department of Defense standards (DOD 5220.22-M).  
• We are offering proper documentation of all the processes the Certificate for all Hard Drive Data Destruction services. 
• Upon completion, you will receive a Hard Drive audit report listing hard drive make, model, serial number, and size. If the hard drive is in the parent machine, the report will also list the parent machine’s serial number. 
• Allowing you to be present onsite for data destruction services, whether it is off-site or onsite. You can also watch the whole process virtually online by logging into cameras at a facility like CompuCycle. 
• Offering both pickup and drop off at our facility 
• Being secure with respect to data safety as well as environmental protection 

Environmental-Friendliness 

The two most major and significant factors pertaining to hard drive data destruction and shredding are environmental impact and data safety.  

There are many local and international frameworks and laws that regulate hard drive data destruction and shredding processes and layout best practices relating to them. This is because the hazardous waste that hard drives and other electronics contain can harm the environment if the processes are not carried out in a responsible manner. CompuCycle’s hard drive data destruction and shredding services comply with all the requirements and regulations.  

Data Security 

Consumer data privacy and security laws are getting more and more strict, sending liabilities and responsibilities towards organizations’ way. Unreliable hard drive data destruction and shredding services and processes that are not up-to-the-mark can put businesses the hard drives belong to in trouble. CompuCycle ensures complete security of the data that was previously stored on the hard drives and offers documentation related to data safety to its partnering businesses. All information is held indefinitely in CompuCycle’s portal, where all documentation and certificates can be retrieved. 

Another important factor associated with a hard drive data and shredding service is what it does with the small shredded pieces after the hard drive shredding process is completed. Many shredding services and companies throw the shredded e-waste away, and it makes its way to landfills, contaminating soil and water bodies. CompuCycle recycles the scrap by separating the reusable materials from it and sending it to be reused in the manufacturing of other products. The materials that are not reusable are disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner with our state-of-the-art shredder into their raw materials and sent directly to the mills, smelters, and refineries. 

Get in touch with CompuCycle to schedule off-site or onsite electronics and hard drive data destruction and shredding or to receive a quote for any of their services. After 26 years in business, CompuCycle is an industry leader and one of the best companies when it comes to IT asset disposal, hard drive data destruction, and data center decommissioning. Houston businesses, as well as organizations across the United States, can leverage CompuCycle’s services to attain peace of mind on all ends.  

The company offers pickup and a drop-off facility for your e-waste and has cutting-edge systems and processes. Not only can you be sure about your e-scrap leaving zero impact on the environment, but you can also attain peace of mind pertaining to the security of the sensitive and confidential data of your business, consumers, and employees stored on your external hard drives by opting for CompuCycle as your selected IT asset disposal company and hard drive data destruction and shredding partner.