Top Tips for Hard Drive Shredding and Destruction

Hey there! As your company updates its tech and gets rid of old gadgets, are you aware that you might be risking your data security? If you don't destroy data properly, it can still be recovered by criminals, putting your business and your customers at risk.

Let’s debunk some myths and talk about the best ways to handle outdated technology.

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Why Hard Drive Destruction Should Be Part of Your Security Plan

Keeping your hardware around without proper disposal can put sensitive data at risk. Not including old hard drives, servers, flash drives, external hard drives, and mobile devices in your security plan increases the chances of a data breach. This could lead to financial loss, damage to your reputation, and compliance issues.

Shockingly, many businesses overlook this. Our 2020 Data Protection Report found that nearly half of small business owners don’t have a policy for disposing of confidential data on outdated devices. Physically destroying hard drives, SSDs, and magnetic media is crucial to making sure data can't be retrieved.

Why Wiping or Reformatting Isn’t Enough

Simply wiping, degaussing, or reformatting a hard drive doesn’t remove all the data. Forensic software can still recover it. A quick online search shows countless tutorials on data recovery—methods that criminals can use too. Before recycling old tech, always destroy hard drives to ensure they can't be accessed by data thieves.

Can Magnets Destroy Hard Drives?

There's a myth that placing magnets on hard drives will erase the data. While this might have worked in the past, today’s tech is more advanced. Even if a magnet could corrupt data, it might still be possible to repair it.

Is Storing Old Tech Secure?

Locking up old tech in a cabinet isn’t a safe strategy. The sensitive information on those devices can still be stolen. It’s essential to destroy hard drives and other equipment properly.

Best Way to Destroy a Hard Drive

Hard drive disposal services near me

Physically destroying hard drives and electronic media is the only surefire way to remove data. DIY methods, like using a hammer, are risky and unreliable. A professional hard drive shredding service, like ours at Shred-it, is a better choice. We’ll shred or crush the device, ensuring a secure chain of custody from pickup to destruction. We offer scheduled pickups, on-demand services, and drop-off shredding options. Plus, we provide a Certificate of Destruction with all the details you need. After destruction, we recycle the materials locally to minimize landfill waste.

Top Tips for Hard Drive Shredding and Destruction

Shearing vs. Crushing: What’s the Difference?

• Shearing: This method slices the entire hard drive into tiny pieces using 40,000 lbs. of force, making data recovery impossible.

• Crushing: This involves punching a hole through each hard drive with 7,500 lbs. of force, shattering the drive platters and ensuring the data can't be retrieved.

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Both methods are effective, and our experts can help you choose the best one for your needs.

Don’t overlook hard drive destruction in your information security plan. Learn more about how Shred-it’s hard drive shredding and ITAD disposition services can help keep your data safe. Contact us today for reliable, secure, and environmentally friendly destruction services!

Contact Us for Secure Document Solutions: Ready to elevate your document security? Give us a call anytime at 800-717-1443. We're here to answer your questions and tailor our services to meet your unique needs.

Our Locations: For your convenience, we have multiple locations across Texas. Call to experience firsthand our commitment to secure document solutions.

• Waco, TX: 2100 Webster Ave, Waco, TX 76706

• College Station, TX: 6936 Old Jones Rd, College Station, TX 77845

• Round Rock, TX: 1000 Heritage Center Circle Road Suite 363, Round Rock, TX 78664

• Conroe, TX: 2040 N Loop 336 W Suite 127, Conroe, TX 77304

Discover the convenience of having a trusted shredding partner nearby. Whether you're in Waco, College Station, Round Rock, or Conroe, our locations are strategically placed to serve your document security needs.

Don't hesitate to reach out — we're here to make secure document disposal simple and stress-free.