Tips for Hard Drive Destruction and Disposal

The hard drive is the primary data storage device, and it contains all the data, operating systems, and functional applications.

It is one of the most important and critical components of any computer system.

With advancements in data storage technologies now, it is possible to store vast amounts of data in the order of multiple Terabytes in a single hard drive. Due to the hard drives’ versatile nature, they are everywhere, containing all data files types.

The storage of data in a hard disk takes place using a magnetic process, and the hard disk can be used repeatedly, making its capacity infinite. Though this offers many good characteristics for storage, manipulation, and data usage, it also poses serious data security problems for removing data from the hard disk.

Now many data recovery applications can be used to recover data from completely formatted hard drives. Data can be recovered even from hard drives that have been reused. Due to this, it is virtually impossible to remove data from hard drives unless we use proprietary applications specifically designed to remove data from the hard disks. This poses a serious security threat for the companies that want to dispose of old hard drives if used to store sensitive and confidential data.

Due to this, data destruction and removal from the hard drives are the only way of removing sensitive data from the hard drives. Hard drive data destruction is one of the most challenging issues faced by companies of all sizes as it has to be done in the right way. It is not a Do It Yourself project, especially when you have a large number of hard drives from which data is to be removed. The problem becomes more complicated if the sensitivity of the data contained in the hard drives is very high.

You need to have a very reliable and resourceful ITAD partner to undertake this complicated process for you without compromising on the security of the data contained in them. In the present day, almost all the ITAD companies have special setups specifically for a scientific and secure way of data destruction and removal from the hard drives.

Here are certain tips you can follow when you need to remove the data from the hard drives to assure complete removal of data from them:

• It is always advisable to use a hard drive data destruction service that provides secure hard drive data removal as its service.
• Use the service for complete data destruction in such a way that data recovery is impossible.
• Hard drive destruction must never be attempted as a do-it-yourself project as there is a great risk of data exposure from an improperly destroyed hard drive.

If the data removal from the hard drive is done in an improper manner, the company may be held responsible under the environmental protection laws for causing damage to the environment. It is always better to do the data destruction through a reliable and well-equipped ITAD company that is offering this as one of its services.

Benefits of using an ITAD Company for Hard Disk-based data destruction:

• Your ITAD partner can destroy the data in the hard drive completely and securely.
• They can complete the process in a short time.
• They provide the necessary documentation for the proper disposal of the hard drives.
• They offer a cost-effective solution for proper hard drive destruction.

When you are about to start the process of hard drive destruction and disposal of data contained in them, you need to find the best answers to the following questions:

1. Who is going to handle the hard drives until they are fully wiped off the data contained in them?

This is one of the main concerns while undertaking the hard drive data destruction when you have a large number of hard drives with ultra-sensitive data. This must be decided in such a way that the hard drives have taken for data disposal never go out of the physical control of your IT disposal team or that of your ITAD partner. For this, you and your ITAD partner must have clear-cut agreements and arrangements in place for proper logistics required for secure transport and storage of the hard drives until they are fully destroyed.

2. Who is going to take custody of the hard drives, and how are they going to be held till disposal?

Yet another critical phase of the hard drive data destruction process involves the modalities and procedures to be followed after the hard drives have been moved to the site for data destruction. This is very important as the hard drives have been taken away from the control of the company, and it must ensure that the hard drives remain secure until they are destroyed.

In this stage of the process, your ITAD partner should take over the entire process and must have necessary arrangements in place for proper storage, manipulation, and transport of the hard drives safely and securely till the hard drives are destroyed completely.

3. Will there be the destruction of data?

This is the purpose of the entire process, and the procedures put in place by your ITAD partner must ensure this. Suitable data destruction methods in the hard drives must be undertaken to ensure the destruction of the data in the media so that the entire data is destroyed without any scope for retrieving or recovering data.

Usually, specially designed proprietary software applications are used to wipe off the data in the hard drive material by systematically performing the data removal from the hard drive.

4. What document will be provided?

Your company needs proper documentation for legal compliance with various laws regarding the proper disposal of e-waste. Due to the concerns and necessities, it is vital to follow a highly structured secure process to improve your compliance as well as to enhance the security level in the IT disposition process.

The Conventional Ways of Hard Drive Data Destruction:

Till now, the data removal from the hard drives was done by physical destruction of the hard drives by

• Overwriting
• Hammering
• Melting
• Drilling
• Dipping in acid
• Dropping it in the ocean etc.

But these methods do not offer the required level of data security. Besides, most of these are not proper disposal of hard drives, and the hard drives are going waster irrespective of their remaining useful lifetime.

But now, there are other ways of data destruction by the application of the safest and secure ways of data removal from unwanted hard drives.

Though Hard drive shredding was used as the best way to properly destroy the data contained in the hard drives, it is not the proper way of e-waste disposal as the hard drives are rendered completely useless, and with the application of the software for complete data wiping from the hard drives they can safely return to the secondary market for reuse paving the way for further use of the hard drives without throwing them into the landfills just to remove the data contained in them.

By using the highly secure data wiping proprietary software, the data contained in the hard drives are destroyed and cannot be recovered by any means. Hence, the hard drive’s shredding is not the ultimate way of making sure that the data contained in them is completely removed. We should follow the latest data removal procedures and allow the hard disks to be available for reuse.

When You’re Selecting an ITAD Partner for Hard Drive Data Destruction,

Pay Close Attention To:

• To the way they offer a secure chain of custody by providing tamper-proof containers for the transport of the hard drives
• Maintain strict inventory control through the auditable itemized list of your IT assets
• Has professionally trained staff for secure electronic data destruction protocols.
• Manned by employees who are bonded, underwent background checks, have signed non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements and participated in security training.
• Operates Industrial-grade data removal processes for hard drives
• Offers Proof of data destruction by way of a certificate of destruction with an itemized report
• Undertakes proper recycling of the e-waste following EPA standards for hard drives that cannot be reused again

Hence, utmost care and caution must be taken to ensure that the hard drives’ physical possession is not lost during the transit and handling by the ITAD company and others working under them. Strict control and constant monitoring must be provided from the time the hard drives are moved from your premises up to the time they are processed for final data removal. Suitable documents are obtained accounting for data on every piece of hard disk taken out for destruction.

In the above circumstances, Pay more attention to all the data storage devices and take suitable action for proper disposal of data on the retired devices. Data security and permanent destruction of the data must be the sole aim of the entire IT disposition process. To get consistent success for your ITAD process, awareness must be generated, and proper training must be imparted to all those connected with ITAD in your organization.

Relevant Resources:

ITAD Transparency: How to ensure that your E-waste Is Properly Recycled

Secure IT Asset Disposition Management And Compliance