When planning an IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) project, sensitive data stored on your devices must be erased appropriately. You don’t want your organization to be tied up in litigation due to regulatory compliance violations. It’s best to work with an experienced e-waste recycling facility that adheres to the strictest secure data destruction practices. You want a company that will guarantee your data is completely inaccessible.
Confidential data can exist on several devices such as laptops, personal computers, cell phones, USB cards, SSD cards, hard drives, PCIEs, and mSATAs. These devices have become increasingly more difficult to sanitize and wipe thoroughly. If the data is not destroyed correctly, your organization could be at risk. Simply deleting the information on the devices is not enough.
When it comes to secure data destruction, there are two main guidelines. Let’s explore them both so you can understand your options. This way, you can decide which one is the best for your organization.
Level DoD 5220.22-M
This procedure identifies the 3-pass process of overwriting a hard drive with patterns of zeros and ones. The U.S. Department of Defense developed this standard for data destruction internally.
Eventually, this method was widely adopted as the de facto standard for all organizations in the private sector. While this method is an effective way to remove sensitive data permanently, it wasn’t intended to be the ‘gold standard’ for companies outside of government facilities.
NIST 800-88 Guidelines
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) developed this process for secure data destruction in 2014. This updated process applies to secure data destruction on modern devices such as Solid-State Drives (SSD). The methodology outlines a process for media sanitation that renders access to target data infeasible for a given level of effort.
Data Destruction Done Securely and Permanently
We are committed to protecting the confidential data of your organization, your employees, and your customers. Using both NIST and DoD level standards, we wipe your devices clean of any traces of data that may have existed. Our rigorous and in-depth audit reports and certificates of destruction let you know that your data has been destroyed. We are committed to not merely reaching, but exceeding your expectations and needs. Not only do we use the best methods available, but our personable staff will also help you decide the best course of action for your needs.
The Green Tree Difference
As a business, whether a small, family-owned operation, or a multi-million dollar corporation, data security is paramount, and preventing sensitive and confidential data from leaking is a concern that must be taken very seriously. As systems and their components become more advanced, the processes required for properly sanitizing them and disposing of private data becomes more complicated and prone to error and oversight.
Our organization continues to stay at the forefront of the most rigorous processes and technologies of secure data destruction for ITAD projects. Older media sanitation technologies allow cybercriminals to retrieve sensitive data, which poses a significant security risk to your company. If client or employee information, such as their credit card numbers, banking account numbers, and medical records were accessed, damage to your company’s reputation and brand could suffer irreparably.
We at Green Tree Recycling have an experienced team of professionals that understand how to keep your confidential information out of the hands of cyber-criminals. Additionally, we strive to be easy to work with and to give you the best experience possible with the disposal of your obsolete or damaged systems.
We provide detailed audits and certificates of destruction so you can be confident that your sensitive and private data will never fall into the wrong hands. We’ll work with you closely to understand your requirements and make sure we offer a variety of options to best suit your needs.
The article was updated on April 20, 2020 (Originally published on March 27, 2018)
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