Should Defective Hard Drives Undergo Hard Drive Shredding?

While there are many methods, and some of them quite humorous (such as using them as skeet targets), for destroying hard drives and the information they contain, defective hard drives are not a funny matter. When a hard drive goes bad, it becomes defective. You may not be able to use it but you can’t erase the contents from it either. Why is that a problem?

Information on a Hard Drive

Every word you type, every file you access remains in your computer, on your hard drive in some manner. Even if you think you have deleted files, they are still there – somewhere – that someone, with the proper tools and knowledge can get to if they so choose and have access. A defective hard drive is even worse because it is less reliable.

You Are At Risk

Whether an individual or a big business, defective hard drives are at the top of security liability risks. You cannot be sure and you cannot guaranteed what, exactly, is or isn’t on a hard drive when it has become defective. In some extreme cases, lawsuits could ensue over compromised information that is very sensitive to another party.

Safe Storage?

Where do you store defective hard drives while you decide what to do with them? Can you lock them up in a secure room and assume they will be safe there? No. This is not a good procedure or policy to follow because it doesn’t eliminate the possibility of sensitive information being found or stolen.

What’s the Solution?

Hard Drive Shredding Service

A hard drive shredding service can fulfill the obligations you made to your clients and can also be held up as a legal way to dispose of defective hard drives in a court of law should the need arise.

Safe Harbor Laws

A facility that offers secure and safe hard drive shredding procedures can provide you or your business with digitized records of the destruction process of your hard drives that will meet Federal and State audit criteria. The court looks at such records as a “Safe Harbor” data destruction event.

Hard Drive Shredding

Hard drive shredding can be the answer to solving defective hard drive problems. When done in the correct and proper manner with a reliable service that specializes in this type of hard drive shredding, a court of law can be satisfied with the methods utilized and accurate records provided of the destruction.