Security Benefits of On-Site Hard Drive Shredding

Modern businesses and government organizations collect, process, and store massive volumes of data on various devices that they rely on to operate successfully. When you decide to upgrade your technology, the sensitive information on hard drives could still remain accessible to individuals who possess the means to retrieve it.

One of the most common misconceptions about removing data from a hard drive is that simply deleting the files will be enough. However, when you delete a file, it is simply marked as available for overwriting. The actual data remains on the drive until it is overwritten by new data. In order to completely remove data from a drive, you need to use a secure deletion solution, such as magnetic degaussing or a physical destruction service. 

Even reformatting a drive will not completely remove the data, as the old data can still be recovered with specific knowledge and tools. Reformatting only removes the index that points to where the data is stored. The actual data will continue to live on the drive until it is overwritten.

One of the most effective methods for ensuring complete data destruction is through ProTek’s proven data destruction services and hard drive shredding. These services involve specialized tools and/or physically destroying a storage device so that its information can never be accessed or recovered again.

If you are considering a secure method for destruction of your own data storage device, here are some benefits of an on-site hard drive shredding service:

Devices Shredded Beyond Recovery

When you choose hard drive shredding, you can be sure that your devices will be completely destroyed. The machines that are used to obliterate the hard drive break it down into extremely small pieces that cannot be reassembled.

If someone were to attempt to reassemble the hard drive, they would not physically be able to. Each component would be shredded to the point where it could not be recognizable or easily pieced back together. 

You Can Witness the Destruction

When you opt for on-site hard drive shredding, you have the peace of mind that comes with being able to witness the destruction of your devices yourself. For many, the added benefit of visual confirmation provides complete assurance that their information remains obliterated from existence. You can be certain that your devices have been properly destroyed and that your sensitive information is no longer at risk of being accessed.

Improved Security for Your Facility

In addition to the security benefits that on-site hard drive shredding provides for your data, it can also improve the security of your facility as a whole.

On-site hard drive shredding can help you avoid the liability associated with storing sensitive information related to your industry. For example, industries like medical, law, and finance all handle large amounts of confidential, legally protected data that could create risks for your business if it were exposed to unauthorized parties. 

Save Time on Transporting Electronic Waste

From a practical perspective, on-site hard drive shredding also saves time and effort on disposing of your electronic waste. The ProTek Recycling team arrives at your location, performs the destruction, and then removes the remains from your facility. You will not need to spend time on transportation or labor to destroy your unwanted hard drives. 

Certificate of Completion to Confirm Complete Destruction

Lastly, after on-site hard drive shredding has been completed, you will be provided with a certificate of completion that confirms the destruction of your devices. In the event of an audit or other legal proceeding, the certificate can be used as evidence that the business has taken appropriate steps to protect customer data. 

If you are not provided with a certificate of completion from your hard drive shredding service provider, ask us to send one to you. You should keep both a physical and digital copy in your records where it can be easily retrieved in the event that you need to present it before a regulatory authority to avoid the risk of liability. 

Get On-Site Hard Drive Shredding for Your Business Today

At ProTek Recycling, we provide on-site hard drive shredding services for businesses, government organizations, schools, and private residents throughout Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and the Boston Metropolitan Area. We pride ourselves on our ability to completely destroy your data storage devices so that they cannot be accessed in the future and put your sensitive information at risk. For each service that we perform, we send our customers a detailed certificate of completion for complete assurance. 

If you are interested in having your old hard drives shredded on-site, contact us today to learn more about how we can assist you.