Disposing of Hard Drives
https://cdrglobal.com/hard-drive-destruction/
Protecting your information, whether it be work data or personal data, is becoming increasingly important in this day and age. As technology continues to morph and change, our ability to dispose of old data must do the same. Back in the 1990’s when computers started to truly infiltrate businesses and homes on a regular basis, we used America Online and dial-up to log onto the internet. Dot-matrix printers ruled the day and DOS was the operating system that moved it all. It may seem like way back when, but it wasn’t all that long ago.
Another antiquated device we all use is the hard disk drive, the mechanism inserted into our computers to store and retrieve data. We filled these disks with all kinds of sensitive data, from trade secrets to financial data to personal correspondence. Now that hard disks are obsolete, how can we be assured that the sensitive information is protected?
There are several ways to dispose of the data on a hard drive, but the best way is to hire a data destruction company, especially to dispose of private work information. Most importantly, you want to ensure you do not have a data breach. If sensitive information can be retrieved from an old disk drive, then it can become available to whoever has access to the disk. Hiring a company that specializes in data destruction will give you peace of mind that your materials will not be retrieved and that the media will be disposed of properly. Also, by hiring a company to dispose of your disks and other data storage materials, you can avoid the responsibility associated with a data breach. If you get rid of the disk yourself and someone happens to get the data from it and is able to use that information, you or your company are liable for any ramifications that arise from the breach. This can keep your company, and you personally if it is a work situation, in regulatory compliance. If you need to destroy disks with personal information, while there may not be any fines or compliance associated with the data on the disks, it can be detrimental if someone is able to retrieve your social security number, credit card information, even medical records from your personal disks. You will be saving yourself a huge headache by having these items destroyed!
You may feel safe in knowing that your disk has been erased, 
has been damaged or just thrown away, but computer hackers often search for and retrieve data from these types of disk drives. Just wiping the data away does not guarantee removal; the disk should be completely destroyed and adequately disposed of to ensure the data cannot be breached. A data destruction company can make sure the data on the drives is not recoverable, even when using the most updated technology to try to retrieve it. Data recovery software can be purchased online, making it relatively easy for the bad guys to recapture the “wiped” information. While these disks in the wrong hands can put a company at serious risk of a data breach, they can also leave you personally vulnerable to your own identification theft, or even blackmail, depending upon what is on your computer disk drives!
There are, of course, ways that you can destroy your own hard drives. This absolutely guarantees that you know that the information cannot be compromised, but you have to be thorough in your technique. The first step you will want to take is to back up the data you are going to be getting rid of on the hard disk drive, just in case you need it in the future. Then, wipe the material from the drive completely before you start with the destruction process. Once again, this will safeguard any information on the disk just in case your elimination method doesn’t fully succeed.
Probably the easiest way to wreck the drive is to smash it, but this would only be recommended for personal data storage drives, not ones that may contain business secrets and customer data. You really don’t want to be responsible for all that data, so if you are destroying company files, just hand it off to the professionals. If you are intent on doing it yourself, taking a hammer to the drive will smash it into little pieces. Make sure you have eye protection and gloves for your hands; those little fragments will fly everywhere so you will want to take precautions. Once you have the disk in pieces, take it to a place that recycles or disposes of electronics; don’t just throw it in the trash!
Another option to completely dispose of hard drive disks is to incinerate them. The biggest caveat when attempting this method is to make sure you have protective gear, including a mask. The fumes from melting a disk drive can be hazardous, so make sure the area you use is well ventilated. You will need to let it melt for a while to be certain that the information is destroyed. If you decide to kill the disks yourself in one of these fashions, make sure you are safe from harm. Nothing like adding insult to injury to be able to completely ruin the disks AND hurt yourself in the process.
There is always the method of taking a drill to your hard drive and penetrating all the way through it, making it inoperable to anyone trying to access the data, but you may still leave yourself vulnerable unless the entire disk is destroyed. You can also attempt to shred it with a high-purpose shredder, but once again, you may have fragments that become airborne. You will also have to remove the shredded pieces from the machine so they can be thrown away correctly. If you are unsure which method would be best for your situation, taking it to a professional to dismantle is always a safe bet. It will cost you more than any other method of disposal, but it also the safest. When in doubt, take the disks to an expert to dispose of.
CDR Global Inc. 