Can Your Old Data Rise from the Dead?

As a business owner, you know you have a legal and ethical obligation to protect the sensitive, personal data your customers entrust to you.  Complying with privacy laws at the federal, state, and local level (not to mention industry standards spelled out in HIPAA, FACTA, and so on) is not a suggestion – it’s mandatory if you want to avoid data breach, identity theft, and the penalties and other consequences associated with data theft.

You’re not worried, though.  You hand off all your hard copies, hard drives, and electronic devices to a service that takes care of them.  Right?  The problem is, if you fail to vet the company that does away with your data, you might not know if they have certifications that ensure they meet high standards for data disposal.  If they don’t provide certificates of destruction or destroy your data on-site while you watch, you might not know if it has been properly disposed of.

Can your old data rise from the dead?  Not if you take pains to ensure it is gone for good.  Here are a few things you should know to protect yourself from the horror that awaits should your old data come back to haunt you.

Not All Services are Reputable and Reliable

There have been cases of business finding out about improper handling and disposal of devices containing sensitive data only when a data breach and/or identity theft occurs and is traced back to illegal dumping.  If you want to make sure your hard drives and other devices are properly destroyed, it is imperative that you exercise due diligence to find a reputable and reliable service, and there are a few things you should look for.

Look for a Certified ITAD Provider

There are plenty of companies offering IT asset disposition (ITAD) but few bother to undergo the certification process that proves they meet the highest standards for properly tracking, wiping, and/or shredding devices.  You want a certified ITAD company that meets the highest security, environmental, and ethical standards.  You should look for no-landfill, no-export policies, as well as regular, independent audits and certifications from respected organizations like R2, e-Stewards, and so on.

Find Out about On-Site Shredding

If you’re worried that a shredding company might not take proper precautions when it comes to securing your devices in transit, at the shredding facility, or during disposal, the best thing you can do is seek out a company that offers on-site shredding.  A truck will come to your facility equipped with industrial shredding equipment and destroy your devices on-site as you watch.

Track Devices and Get Proof of Destruction

A trusted service provider will not only offer the option for on-site shredding, but also provide secure transportation and tracking of devices through every step of the process.  This should include secured trucks and storage/destruction facilities, serial number tracking of devices in inventory, a client portal for 24/7 access so you can always track your devices, and proof of destruction in the form of Certificates of Destruction and Recycling.

When you partner with a reputable and certified service provider like SEAM, you’ll get all of this and more.  Contact SEAM today at 605-274-SEAM (7326) if you want to ensure that any data your Sioux Falls, SD business disposes of won’t come back to haunt you.