Whether you are a small business or a large multinational, no organisation would want unauthorised access to their data. After all, data is the new oil. Entire organisations exist solely due to data. The most obvious example is Facebook. What would be their worth if it didn’t have data on billions of individuals worldwide? Zero.
Other businesses need access to such data for marketing, political and other purposes. Without this data, Facebook holds no importance to them. It is why organisations need to have robust data destruction policies. If someone gains access to company data, that business would undoubtedly lose its competitive advantage. The most common reason for data loss is failing to wipe the hard drive before discarding it.
Before giving the old equipment to somebody, it is extremely important to delete all the information stored on the hard drives. It will be a nightmare for an organisation if the data gets possessed by the wrong person or group. It could result in lawsuits against the company, not to mention a bad reputation as well. To make sure data is no longer accessible, there are a few techniques which you can follow.
HOW TO DESTROY ELECTRONIC DATA?
WIPING
One way of deleting data completely from an electronic device is by wiping. It destroys data by overwriting, so it is no longer readable/accessible. It is carried out by connecting a media with a wiping device physically. However, wiping can also be carried out internally by starting the computer through a network or CD. The downside of data wiping is that it takes much time, which may take a whole day only for a single device. It is a good option for an individual but not feasible for a company which needs to destroy data from many electronic devices.
ERASURE
It is another form of data overwriting. It is software-based, and the entire process is irreversible. It uses zeros and ones to overwrite all the data. The benefit of this approach is that the hard disc is still useable. It is possible if you wish to erase a specific sector instead of the entire hard drive.
DEGAUSS
Degaussing deletes the data from the P.C. by utilising a high-powered magnet that upsets the magnetic field placed on an electronic device. The disturbance generated by the high-powered magnet demolishes the data. It is a quick and effective method of demolishing data from an electronic device with a large amount of data.
PHYSICAL DELETION
Physically destroying data off an electronic device is a great way for small and large organisations. Many organisations wish to recycle their used devices but are held back by the information the device may possess. However, many organisations and individuals extract the hard drive and demolish it using a hammer, so it is no longer retrievable.
By physically destroying the hard drive, it gives complete surety to an individual or an organisation that the data has been deleted permanently and is no longer accessible. However, the hard drive’s physical destruction may prove costly for a company. Moreover, it can be problematic for a business that follows eco-friendly initiatives for disposing of old equipment.
SHREDDING
In order to demolish data from an old device that has reached its end life, shredding is the perfect method. Shredding is a form of physical destruction that is very cost-friendly and a reliable way of permanently deleting the data. It is extremely suitable for electronic devices such as mobile phones, laptops, computers, motherboards, and optical devices. Shredding is a quick and convenient method of demolishing piles of data on multiple devices. Once the electronic device passes through the shredding machine, it is disintegrated into small parts no bigger than 2 millimetres.
Conclusion
You can avail MITS’ data destruction services for peace of mind. We offer multiple data destruction options. Select the one that is most convenient for your business. Our services are available on-premises and at our locations throughout Pakistan.
