Should I Permanently Destroy My Hard Drive?

Many people assume that erasing data from a hard drive deletes it forever. However, unless you fully format a hard drive or external drive, these files remain in some form. A criminal doesn’t have to have a lot of hacking experience to get at these files and do an enormous amount of damage in a matter of minutes.

With new technology developments each year, electronic records are just as susceptible to theft as paper records. While it may seem like a waste to throw out a piece of hardware that may still have some use, it’s a risk that you can’t take as a business. You have to treat your electronic files the same way you treat your paper files and destroy them completely.

How To Destroy A Hard Drive

Once you have finished with a hard drive, do not simply delete the files and place the hardware in the dumpster with your other trash, or put it into long-term storage. Instead, take the drive to a reputable document destruction company that can destroy the device and then dispose of the remains properly.

Destroying old hard drives is critical for any modern business, but it is absolutely essential for industries that have large amounts of highly sensitive information at all times. These industries include medical, finance, manufacturing, and law. If you work in a law office, bank, other financial institution, hospital, or private medical practice, you may face a liability suit if your client data gets into the wrong hands.

If you’re ever in doubt about whether or not you should destroy a hard drive or other electronic equipment, it’s best practice to destroy it. The process may seem like more of a hassle than it’s worth, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. You never know when your organization could be the next identity theft victim. It only takes one or two security breaches to destroy years of hard earning good reputation. Don’t take that risk.

UCI offers hard drive shredding for businesses of varying sizes. All of our employees undergo background checks before they are hired and must pass periodic drug tests to ensure that company data remains safe. As a member of the National Association for Information Destruction, UCI adheres to their professional standards.

We offer hard drive shredding at our Amarillo location and a full range of document destruction services at our Amarillo, Wichita Falls, and Lubbock locations. We destroy computer hard drives, copier hard drives, external drives, flash drives, CDs and DVDs, and backup tapes. Our document destruction is convenient and ensures privacy with environmentally friendly, straightforward, and affordable solutions. Contact us to learn more about destroying a hard drive.