Securely Dispose of Digital Media: Guidelines on Best Practices to Protect Your Data and Avoid the Costly Consequences of a Data Breach

A study from data removal company Blannco has found that many secondhand storage drives sold on eBay still contain personal data and information from the previous owner. Of 159 SSD and HDD storage drives purchased in the US, UK, Germany, and Finland for the study, 42 percent still contained some form of data that could be recovered. More worryingly, 25 drives had personally identifiable information (PII), such as birth certificates, names, email addresses, and photos.

The study revealed a worrying lack of understanding when it came to wiping a hard drive before reselling it. Fifteen percent of the drives tested contained sensitive data that could put individuals at risk from identity thieves or hackers. One particularly alarming example was a software developer who had been granted a government security clearance - his drive contained his family's birth certificates, scanned passports, and financial records. Another woman in Denmark stored thousands of photos on her drive, including her name and friends' names.

The problem appears to come from sellers believing they have wiped drives properly simply by formatting them; however, this process only clears access to files rather than actually erasing them. Unfortunately, formatting does not confirm to users whether their data is truly gone. Blancco recommends using its own data erasure products for properly wiping hard drives, while PCMag provides alternative solutions in its guide. These findings echo a similar analysis by Blancco in 2016, which found that 67 percent of 200 secondhand hard drives bought on eBay and Craigslist still held PII.

Don't Sell Your Used Hard Drives - Destroy Them to Prevent Data Leaks

The risk of data leaks when reselling used storage drives is serious, and knowing the best practices for wiping them clean is essential. The most effective option is to destroy the hard drive - physically shredding or burning it.

Additionally, users should take extra care when disposing of digital media such as CDs, DVDs, and USB drives - information can easily be recovered if not wiped properly. Lastly, never store sensitive information on a device that could potentially be sold down the line. 

The cost of a data breach can be significant - both in terms of money for remediation and reputation damage. Therefore, companies must implement strong policies to ensure their staff is aware of proper security practices for disposing of old hardware, especially if personal or corporate data is involved. Failure to do so could result in hefty fines, legal action under GDPR regulations, and reputational harm caused by a public data breach. 

Overall, it's important to take steps to protect your privacy when disposing of storage devices. Although formatting them may seem sufficient, it won't guarantee that someone else won't retrieve your personal details from the drive - so make sure you use an approved product from a reputable company before selling or donating any storage drive.

Contact Critical Risk Solution for a Safe & Effective Solution

Secure data destruction services are one of the most effective ways to ensure data privacy when disposing of storage devices. Companies like Critical Risk Solution offer certified data destruction solutions that guarantee the complete erasure and destruction of sensitive information stored on storage drives. Their services are designed for any type of digital media, from hard drives to CDs, DVDs, USBs, and other removable devices. 

The process typically involves degaussing or physically destroying the device, ensuring that no data traces can be recovered. This prevents unauthorized access to personal or corporate data, mitigating the risk of identity theft or financial loss. It also provides peace of mind for companies that their confidential information has been destroyed securely, preventing potential reputational harm caused by a data breach. 

In addition to secure data destruction services, Critical Risk Solution offers comprehensive asset management solutions to ensure compliance with GDPR. These include detailed tracking and reporting systems that enable organizations to quickly report unauthorized access or data leakage incidents. Furthermore, they can help companies develop secure disposal policies with detailed instructions on safely disposing of digital media containing sensitive information. 

Secure disposal of digital media is essential in today's increasingly digital world; companies need to take steps toward protecting their customers' privacy to maintain trust and loyalty from them. By investing in solutions like those offered by Critical Risk Solution, businesses can significantly reduce the risk of costly data breaches and reputational damage caused by negligence or lack of understanding when securely disposing of sensitive digital media.