Introduction
Physical destruction of data storage devices is the process of destroying physical data devices such as solid-state drives, hard drives, tapes, and compact discs. Many firms have started to destroy data storage devices to avoid future intricacies.
Firms destroy physical data by crushing, shredding, incineration, degaussing, and disintegrating.
Unfortunately, many firms and experts are unaware of the threat of not destroying the physical data. I’m writing this blog to confirm the benefits of destroying the data collected in physical storage.
Reasons for Physical Data Destruction
- Preventing unauthorized access
Physical data destruction has become a crucial part of business to avert threats and breaches. Physical data disposal controls unauthorized parties from accessing critical customer info, financial records, and functional data.
- Compliance with legal and regulatory requirements
Firms must keep their compliance system in check, and the physical destruction of data storage devices plays a huge role in it. The breach of sensitive data after the retention period of the concerned party might cost your legal compliance status.
- Mitigating risks of data breaches
It is crucial to have a robust data security system and by secure data disposal a company can greatly reduce the risk of data breaches. This assures that the firm has functional resilience and protects useful info.
Methods of Physical Data Destruction
- Shredding
Shredding allows you to shred physical data devices into tiny pieces that are crucial to fix and take the data from. Various types of shredding devices destroy hard drives, CDs, tapes, and DVDs.
- Degaussing
Degaussing uses robust magnetic forces to erase the data on hard drives and change the magnetic patterns randomly. It can be performed when you have to deal with large amounts of data stored in hard drives. Also, degaussers can be used for disposing of overly sensitive info, before physically destroying it.
- Incineration
Incineration is the process of destroying storage devices using an incinerator. The incinerator will burn and turn the storage devices into ashes. This helps firms to destroy sensitive data and it is a highly secure way of disposing of data. Also, this helps you to comply with rules regarding data shields.
Even though it is a useful method, it has some pitfalls, such as producing toxic emissions, high-cost destruction methods, and strict regulatory restraints.
- Drilling/Puncturing
Drilling, a.k.a puncturing data storage devices, is not used by many people and has many pitfalls. Using this method to destroy data is less cogent as unofficial parties can recover it using specialized recovery methods. If secure data disposal is your priority, you can opt for other options.
- Crushing
Crushing uses specialized tools to crush the storage devices into small particles. Most use heavy-duty hydraulic pressing machines to crush storage devices.
The crushing process starts by analyzing the data security, then preparing the device for the crushing process, and finally, if everything is right, it can be disposed of.
Choosing the Right Method
When destroying physical data, you should consider various factors before selecting the right method. Sensitive data and volumes change as per the nature of the company.
If a firm has a volume of data and the disposal needs to be managed quickly, they can use degaussing.
Shredding, on the other hand, will help you securely dispose of highly crucial data. These are some of the best methods to destroy the data and you will have to go with various methods for different data sets.
Cost implications are another factor that comes into play when destroying data. Degaussing will be less cost-effective than shredding; you must find a method that suits your budget.
As a company, it is mandatory to assess environmental obligation as well, you have to go with a method that controls ecological impact too.
Legal and Compliance Considerations
Firms that deal with sensitive data should be aware of the following regulatory compliances:
- General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
- Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
- Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS)
- National Institute of Standards and Technology Guidelines (NIST)
- Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA)
Another crucial legal and compliance factor would be documenting the proof of destruction. From inventory list to chain of custody to destruction method, a company has to document everything with proof.
Firms should have a certificate of destruction and they must work with certified vendors only. Many firms are licensed to destroy data by following the right regulations.
Best Practices for Data Destruction
- Creating a data destruction policy
Creating an efficient data destruction policy allows firms to destroy physical data without intricacies. First, you should classify data according to compliance and sensitivity. Then you must find out the data retention periods according to different legal and compliance conditions. Once you identify the data, you must choose the proper destruction method and create an outline.
- Employee training and awareness
Companies should incorporate the awareness of the physical destruction of data and data discovery risks into their general employee training program. Employees should be taught about data protection and legal compliance.
- Continuous audits and assessments
Firms should have a reliable team that audits and assesses the data from time to time. This allows them to find out data that should be removed, helping them to comply with rules.
Challenges and Pitfalls
Companies should avoid making errors on sensitive data, and classify it according to acuity, legal compliance, and retention period. It is mandatory to ensure the data has been destroyed without any flaws.
Firms should focus on retaining integrity by securing data and doing it cost-effectively.
The company must check with various compliance rules to ensure they are destroying the right data at the right time. One regulation may allow you to destroy the data, while the other may not. You must check all aspects and ensure you are destroying the data properly.
Future Trends in Data Destruction
Like cybersecurity, the destruction methods have also evolved with various new tech creations. Apart from physical destruction, you can find the latest trends like cloud data destruction, Data destruction as a service (DDaaS), and improved shredding technologies.
Conclusion
The physical destruction of data has become mandatory for firms as the risk of legal compliance has increased in recent years. You can find many methods to destroy data, from shredding to degaussing to crushing.
A company should assess various factors to select the proper method, they should consider the type of data, volume, and regulations. Yet, with limited skills, experts may find physical data destruction tough. Data disposal from external threats can be tactfully secured by experts upskilling via cutting-edge data science courses.
Secure data disposal will avert data breaches and likely cyber-attacks. If a firm carefully destroys the data, it can avoid legal penalties and nicely comply with laws. A firm can improve its stature and remove financial risks by routing data.