Most people don’t have any trouble understanding why hard drive destruction is crucial. Just think about how many saved passwords you have in your browser right now. Think about all the sensitive documents that are sitting in your documents folder.

Unfortunately, many people struggle to understand what it takes to destroy all the data that exists on your average hard drive.

Myth: I’ll Throw it In Gross Garbage

You may have trouble understanding why anyone would dig through old coffee grounds or dirty diapers to get to hard drives. Just remember, we often export our garbage to landfills in other countries.

In some of those countries, desperate people make their living picking through garbage for gems like hard drives. They then sell their finds to criminal enterprises. Do you really want to take the chance?

Myth: I’ll Just Run a Magnet Over It

It takes a magnet that can exert at least 450 pounds of force in order to destroy a computer’s hard drive.

For comparison, a 2-pound industrial electromagnet requiring 29 Watts of power has a load limit of 300 pounds of force. The fridge magnets in your break room will not do the trick.

Even then, you have to remove the platinum plating around the hard drive.

Myth: I’ll Just Erase Everything

Copies of your data continue to exist on the hard drive even after you delete or trash them.

The operating system removes the pathway to the data, but it leaves the data intact. Plus, fragmented files might exist all over the hard drive.

Anyone who knows a little bit about anything can generally reconstruct this data.

Myth: I’ll Use Software

Software erasure is only a partial solution. It might work well enough for giving your computer to a family member who will only ever play games on it, but individual data chips will still exist.

If you’re in an industry with high compliance requirements, software might not even begin to meet your legal obligations.

Myth: Take a Hammer to It

We stand by the efficacy of physical destruction, but a hammer isn’t sufficient. The trick is to destroy every block of data far beyond the ability of any forensics expert to piece it together. Every one, every zero.

Unfortunately, most DIY solutions on the market are simply insufficient to protect your data.

Get Help With Hard Drive Destruction Today

We crush, smash, and destroy hard drives so thoroughly that even a dedicated criminal would be hard-pressed to tell the scrap metal that remains was ever a hard drive! We also protect your data by destroying CDs, X-rays, and more.

Want to stop worrying about your data? Put the hammer away, step away from the magnet, and call Data Shredding Services of Houston, TX. We’re a leading media destruction company, and we’ll be happy to help!

The post Myths and Facts About Hard Drive Destruction appeared first on Shredding Houston.

Data breaches destroy customer confidence in your company. 

They also leave you on the hook for customer damage, and identity theft is costly. Thus, it’s a good idea to take the potential for breaches seriously.

Here are five ways you can prevent data breaches at your company.

#1) Educate Your Employees

Your employees are the first line of defense against any data breach. Train them to protect your security by:

• Using strong passwords
• Using multi-factor authentication
• Spotting common scams
• Data protection regulations

You should also train them on which documents to shred and when and provide them with shredding receptacles. 

#2) Take Security Measures

Every company needs to take security measures to defend against hackers.

• Use anti-virus software
• Update your website to a secure https:// website 
• Hire someone to monitor your network
• Backup your data, but keep only what you need
• Encrypt data before sending it

You may need to hire an expert to update your company’s data protection plan. 

#3) Keep Software Up to Date 

Nobody likes taking the time to update software, but those patches are vital to maintaining your security. Updates almost always include patches that close hacker loopholes. 

Instruct your employees to take the time when the alert shows up, even if it interrupts their work day. 

#4) Perform Regular Audits 

Schedule annual security audits to ensure that your sensitive information is being protected to the best of your ability. An audit can help your company identify system vulnerabilities and strengthen security protocols. 

#5) Destroy Data Properly

Destroying hard drives and paper copies of sensitive data is the best way to ensure it stays out of criminal hands. Many criminals simply grab what they need right out of the garbage.

Data Shredding Services offers the most comprehensive hard drive destruction on the market. 

We also offer mobile or scheduled shredding services, which will allow you to place receptacles in your office. Employees dump the documents into a locked container. We pick up the container on a regular schedule and destroy everything inside past reconstruction.

In both cases, you get the highest degree of protection against data theft, and we provide you with a Certificate of Destruction that you can use to help defend yourself should a legal case arise in the future. 

Get Help Today

Request a quote for our shredding services. We will gladly customize a solution designed to defend your company from hackers, scammers, and data salesmen. 

Don’t become the next big data breach headline.  Call Data Shredding Services of Houston today.

The post 5 Ways to Prevent a Data Breach | Data Shredding Services appeared first on Shredding Houston.