Data destruction services are normally available when a person or a company wants to make sure that they completely eliminate digital media or computer files. It is extremely important to ensure that this is done correctly because there are millions of identity thieves lurking nearby; this important step must be taken every time you want to discard your old computer or storage media or when you are selling them off. You want to make sure that you completely minimize any chances of identity theft by following these simple but practical recommendations.
Hard drive shredding: Most business people have bought paper shredders through which they always ensure that all sensitive documents are completely shredded before they can be discarded; this should also be the case with all digital media. There are people who store digital media in CDs, DVDs or other similar devices; there are hard drive shredding service providers who will also ensure that those digital storage media are also shredded so that all the contents are completely disposed of.
Simply using the delete button on your computer is not sufficient enough when you are looking for protection from identity theft. There are computer savvy thieves who have the ability to restore computer files even after they have been deleted. By using shredding software you should be able to completely wipe away data files since they get overwritten using binary random numbers; this significantly reduces chances of data recovery.
Degaussing: For individuals who deal with hard drives that contain extremely sensitive information, there is a data destruction method that is known as degaussing. Degaussing uses some special machinery to completely destroy computer files; this machinery uses reversed magnetic fields. Degaussing equipment cost thousands of dollars and as a result, most companies and individuals will send their hard drives and media to the data destruction company. These companies will efficiently manage all your data at an affordable fee. Once the hard drive has been degaussed, you can choose to pick it up for resale or letting the company discard it using the federal available standards.
Physical destruction: If on the other hand you don’t plan on reselling your computer components, you may want to consider physical data destruction. This method involves the use of a belt sander or a gun drill to completely render the readability of the hard drive or other media impossible. If you are dealing with a hard drive, data destruction should focus on that circular metal platters found within the device; if you are going to do it personally, you must ensure that you wear safety equipment to avoid potential injury. The better option though is to contact a data destruction company who will do the job effectively at only a small fee.