The Importance of Secure Data Destruction

More and more often, data is becoming the currency of business. You and your competitors are all vying for the same data in hopes of converting a lead into a devoted client. Plus, you likely already store confidential information related to employees, proprietary research and much more you can’t let anyone else gain access to.

When you store data on hard drives and other electronic storage devices but don’t use them, you open your company up to more data breaches and hacking. As malicious attackers get smarter, you have to as well. One way you can protect your information is through data destruction practices that corrupt your devices to the point of inaccessibility.

Secure data destruction is crucial in today’s world, and if you’re considering updating your practices, TrueShred is ready to assist. We have years of experience destroying hard drives and protecting confidential information from falling into the wrong hands.

Why Secure Data Destruction Is Crucial

If you haven’t invested in data destruction services yet, you’re putting your entire company at risk. Today, simply throwing out a hard drive or storing it in a closet isn’t enough to keep it protected. Improper data disposal gives people and companies with bad intentions a way of accessing sensitive information — and if they do, you’re legally on the hook for giving them the chance to gain access in the first place.

Furthermore, many industries have their own regulations regarding data and hard drive destruction. Not meeting these standards can result in fines and, at worst, loss of accreditation. That’s why many organizations turn to a NAID AAA Certified company that is qualified to destroy materials in ways that make it impossible for data to be reconstructed.

Professional Data Destruction Services

Making the decision to hire a professional to handle the data destruction process is one of the best choices you can make for site security. A good company can handle all your destruction needs through any of these methods:

• On-site shredding: When it comes to your most confidential information, you may want to confirm for yourself that the damage is done. On-site shredding means your data destruction will take place at your location so you can see that the data is destroyed.
• Off-site shredding: The right data destruction professionals are also willing to take your data off-site and destroy them at their own facility. This is especially helpful for organizations with minimal space or a lot of data that will require time to dispose of.
• Degaussing: Degaussing is another way to destroy hard drives. Instead of sending devices through a shredder, degaussing interrupts the magnetic field that hard drives use to store data, jumbling information up so completely that it is no longer accessible.
• Secure bins: Your data destruction team does not have to be on campus at all times for you to maintain security. Many operations offer secure bins and consoles where you can collect media devices in the interim, which makes information inside inaccessible to anyone but the destruction professionals.

While these services follow different processes, the end result is the same — secure, industry-compliant data destruction you can rely on.

Benefits of Hiring Professionals for Data Destruction

When you opt for secure data destruction from the professionals at TrueShred, you are afforded benefits including:

• Complete destruction and confidentiality: Our only goal is to guide you through the data destruction process as quickly as possible. TrueShred never examines your information or learns more than what’s necessary to do our job. Your data will go straight from TrueShred’s professionals into our shredders or through our degaussers, ensuring confidentiality from start to finish.
• Minimized security risks: Even if you aren’t using them, storing old data on-site or at another facility opens you up to data breaches. If someone steals the data or accesses it, your company could be held liable for identity theft and other serious charges. It’s better to destroy a hard drive or memory card entirely, preventing others from accessing that information now or ever again.
• Eco-consciousness: Almost any hard drive or data storage solution can be at least partially recycled. TrueShred will also take care of delivering the destroyed parts of your data components to the proper recycling center so the materials can be reused, reducing your brand’s carbon footprint.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Data Destruction Provider

If you’re still weighing your choices for secure data destruction, focusing on how they compare in these areas may help make your decision:

• Certifications and accreditations: The first thing you should look at when considering your options is the provider’s history and accreditations. The most important thing to look for is whether they are NAID AAA Certified. This certification verifies the company in question uses the best data destruction practices that will leave your information inaccessible and completely irrecoverable.
• Chain of custody practices: Once your data is “destroyed,” where does it go? Is there a way for you to track where your hard drives go and whose hands they pass through? Your data destruction team should have an answer immediately and transparent tracking solutions so you can follow your destroyed assets and know where they end up.
• On-site and off-site services: Some businesses prefer on-site shredding and data destruction services so they can see their information destroyed. Others have too much equipment on-site and would prefer that the sensitive materials leave the premises immediately. Be sure to check whether your data destruction provider offers the services you want — TrueShred has both options for your convenience.
• Cost: There are quite a few methods for destroying data, and which you choose depends on a range of factors, including compliance regulations, environmental consciousness and affordability. Try to find a provider that offers the most comprehensive services at the most affordable prices.

Schedule Secure Data Shredding

Whether your data is high-level classified or not, hard drive destruction can save you from complications and liabilities far into the future. TrueShred will even save you from doing it yourself — all you have to do is have your data ready, and we’ll collect it for destruction on-site or off-site.

Connect with TrueShred today and let our data destruction services give you and your clients some peace of mind. You can use our scheduling tool to make an appointment right now.