Today more than ever before, we rely on our digital devices to essentially carry out almost all aspects of our lives.
Whether this means to get our jobs done, shop online, pay our bills, or socialize through social platforms, it’s safe to say everyone has at least one device they use on a daily basis.
For instance, ask yourself how many devices you currently have in your home… If you’re like most business owners and residents in the Tri-State area, you likely have at least a smartphone and laptop/computer, maybe even a tablet on top of these two devices.
As a matter of fact, research has revealed that on average, each American household has 11 connected devices. With so many Americans working from home for the last 15 months or so, it is likely, many have had to use personal devices to conduct their individual job duties. With that said, if you are due for an upgrade or are looking to replace your current laptop or computer, there are a couple of things to consider, first.
Computers are flooded with hundreds of thousands of files; this is especially the case if you’ve been working on the same computer for quite some time. So before you go ahead and drop that laptop off at your local e-waste facility, be sure to remove the hard drive and have it professionally destroyed for your protection.
Here are 5 reasons why hard drives require destruction:
Maintain Your Reputation
Your customers, your clients and your employees entrust you to keep their sensitive information secure. Failing to properly destroy hard drives, means any data stored on these devices could in fact be retrieved and used against you, should it fall into the wrong hands. This presents a whole range of problems ranging from financial burdens, to damaging the reputation you’ve worked so hard to build. Don’t put you, your employees or your customers at risk. Protect yourself and your reputation!
Get Rid of Unnecessary Clutter
No one likes dealing with mountains of clutter; it can feel overwhelming to deal with and can even affect your productivity levels. Rather than letting your electronic devices sit in a storage room where they only take up space and pose a potentially serious security risk, collect them for professional destruction instead. Hard drives that are lost or stolen due to negligence, can leave you liable should a crime take place that involves data found on the drive. Hard drive destruction not only protects you, but it also leaves the opportunity to clear out clutter in your office or home.
Reduce Overall Costs
Storing your old backup media can be costly, especially if it’s no longer relevant. If your business is tight on space to begin with, you can’t really afford to waste any additional space by keeping old electronics that aren’t of use. Regular hard drive destruction will save you storage space, and thus money in the long-run.
Achieve Compliance With Privacy Laws
As we’ve mentioned before, laws dictate that businesses must shred confidential and sensitive information to ensure privacy protection. The same rings true for your hard drives. The last thing you want is for your business to be hit with a data breach, plus a hefty fine!
Small businesses, specifically, commonly face data breaches and suffer a greater annual loss than larger businesses. In 2019, 43% of cyberattacks were aimed at small businesses, with only 14% able to defend themselves. It was also found that more than half of all businesses suffered a breach of some sort, which is why protecting yourself is so important.
At Tri-State Shredding, we always provide you with a Certificate of Destruction for proof of proper compliance.
All Data Is Irreversible and Permanently Destroyed
A common misconception is that once a hard drive is wiped, information is erased forever.
Unfortunately, that is not true.
Deleting files does not rid them from your computer indefinitely. In fact, they are still on the hard drive and can be retrieved by skilled hackers and thieves who are determined enough. Physical hard drive destruction is your best defense at deleting your information and protecting yourself.
We’ll Securely Destroy Your Hard Drives
Tri-State Shredding provides on-site hard drive destruction to residents and businesses throughout Pennsylvania. If you’re looking for a reliable, trustworthy company to successfully destroy your old hard drives, reach out to our team today.
Give us a call at 717-233-5606