{"id":99291,"date":"2023-09-07T07:48:09","date_gmt":"2023-09-07T07:48:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com"},"modified":"2024-01-17T12:40:29","modified_gmt":"2024-01-17T12:40:29","slug":"why-you-should-always-destroy-your-own-data","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/why-you-should-always-destroy-your-own-data","title":{"rendered":"Why You Should Always Destroy Your Own Data"},"content":{"rendered":"

You\u2019ve got technological defenses<\/a>, robust IT governance<\/a>, and a cyber-aware workforce. Your data<\/a> is safeguarded, replicated, and backed up<\/a>. That\u2019s great, there’s just one more thing you need to know: Why you should destroy your own data.<\/p>\n

Why You Should Destroy Your Own Data<\/span><\/h2>\n

Given the efforts we take to protect data<\/a> and to satisfy the apparent dichotomy of making sure it is both accessible and secure, it is counter-intuitive to consider the willful destruction of data as not just a requirement, but a necessity.<\/p>\n

There are several reasons why you\u2019d need to do this.<\/p>\n

Hardware Replacement<\/h3>\n

Hardware<\/a> ages, and like all machines, has a finite operational life. When servers<\/a>, desktop computers<\/a>, laptops<\/a>, Network Attached Storage devices<\/a>, and mobile devices such as cell phones<\/a> and tablets<\/a> are redundant, they must be disposed of.<\/p>\n

The device might be replaced due to hardware failure. Some companies don\u2019t wait for failure, they proactively manage the retirement of hardware to prevent unforeseen downtime<\/a>. Different classes of devices are allocated an in-service duration, and once they hit that age they are replaced.<\/p>\n

Device replacements can be driven by external factors too, such as the release of a new version of Microsoft Windows<\/a>. If your old hardware doesn\u2019t have the horsepower to run the new operating system<\/a>, it will have to be replaced.<\/p>\n

Hardware Re-use<\/h3>\n

If someone leaves their post and their laptop or desktop is being redeployed to their replacement, you need to securely wipe the device before giving it to the incoming staff member.<\/p>\n

Legislative or Compliance Reasons<\/h3>\n

Legislation such as the\u00a0General Data Protection Regulations<\/a> forces organizations to state publicly (usually in their online Privacy Policy<\/a>) how long they will retain personally identifiable information<\/a> \u2014 personal data \u2014 for. This is called the retention period<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Retaining data beyond the stated retention period can lead to serious breaches of data protection and privacy policies, and unwanted attention from the relevant supervisory authority. Not to mention unwanted costs and damage to your reputation.<\/p>\n

Giving It All Away<\/span><\/h2>\n

Great efforts are taken to prevent threat actors<\/a> from getting their hands on your data. Disposing of old hardware without giving due thought to the data that sits on it is like handing that data straight to the bad guys.<\/p>\n

You don\u2019t dump sensitive paper documents in the regular garbage. You shred them to render them inaccessible and unreadable. You need to securely erase the data from old hardware too.<\/p>\n

Apart from the commercial implications of leaking sensitive corporate information, if any personally identifiable information is included in the data, that counts as an actionable data breach<\/a> in Europe.<\/p>\n

How to Securely Wipe Hard Drives<\/span><\/h2>\n

There are only so many ways to securely remove your data from a hard drive<\/a> or to make the hard drive unreadable. You can:<\/p>\n