Over time, technology has greatly advanced and the internet of things has gained so much popularity. On account of this, masses of digital data are progressively being generated. Ventures in all industries are to a great extent, reliant on this kind of digitalisation. Therefore, most of their data is now being stored on digital platforms.
Even with all the good that comes with digital data, there is a concern regarding its secure disposal in the event that it ceases to be relevant. It is important to understand that deleting data only makes it inaccessible from the operating system or the software that built it but can still be obtained through other means.
This is where IT destruction, or rather, data destruction, comes in. We can talk of data destruction as the procedure of pulling down data stored in any kind of media, either electronic or hard copy. The objective of data destruction is to ensure that such data is entirely unreadable and cannot be retrieved for an unapproved use. We recommend using a professional IT destruction company such as The Maltings Secure Shredding in Cardiff to improve efficiency in your business.
Before narrowing down the benefits that come with this destruction of data, let us first look at the different ways in which data destruction is done.
Methods of Data Destruction
- Physical destruction – The drives containing data are crushed, shredded or incinerated, to ensure that they are wholly ruined. The data that was in them can no longer be obtained.
- Overwriting – An expert program is used to overwrite the old data with new data. When it is overwritten, it means that it has been totally wiped out and cannot be retrieved.
- Degaussing – Magnets are used to get rid of data, whereby the magnetic fields in storage devices are permanently distorted. This technique is specifically used for hard disks because they use magnets in the storage of data.
Depending on the storage device, the above methods are the ones used for IT destruction. We should now look at the importance of data destruction.
Benefits of data destruction
Ensures the Safety of your Data
When your data is destroyed by either being degaussed, overwritten, or physically ruined, you can rest assured that it cannot be retrieved. Your data is now safe from being accessed for any kind of unwarranted purpose.
Data destruction is a process that guarantees the security of your data by entirely eliminating any chance of a breach during its disposal.
Enhances Trust from Employees and Clients
One of your priorities should be safeguarding information regarding your customers and staff. When customers are assured that data relating to them is protected, they have peace of mind even as they do business with you.
When outdated data needs to be destructed and entirely erased, any kind of sensitive information regarding your staff or clients is safe, and in such a way, trust is enhanced.
Compliance with Legal Obligations
Cybercrime has been on the rise and as a result, some digital data ends up being at the mercy of criminals. An example of such criminals is identity thieves, who use digital data for fraudulent activities. Luckily, there are now measures put in place, to counter the vulnerability of data across digital platforms.
There are legal obligations and guidelines that you should adhere to, regarding the storage and destruction of data. Failure to observe these measures is a violation that is penalized through the imposition of heavy fines. As evidence for compliance, a professional certificate is granted if you adhere to the legal requirements.
Data destruction is Eco-Friendly
If electronic waste is left unattended in landfills, it is toxic and harmful to the environment. Disposal of data through physical destruction ensures that this waste is kept out of landfills. Therefore, there is no risk of such waste being absorbed by the soil and later on causing harm to those in the immediate environment.
Choosing safe data destruction means that you are being mindful of the environment and are playing part in its conservation.
Destruction of Data Saves Costs
As a business, the longer you hold on to outdated data, the more unnecessary costs you incur for its storage. These costs can either be financial or in the form of space. If you have unusable data in physical drives, you use up space that could otherwise be used for an economical purpose.
Alternatively, if the data is stored in the cloud, there are financial implications, since you regularly need to make payments for its storage. Therefore, data destruction eliminates avoidable storage expenditure.
It is clear that data destruction is essential and that is why currently, there are numerous firms providing data destruction solutions. Just for emphasis, listed above are the reasons why you ought to seek services from such corporations.
Shirley Mist has been involved in fashion and design for many years. She has also written extensively for many online publications. She currently writes for The Tribune World and is a valued member of our team.