If your company has been staying at the forefront of cyber security, you may already know the importance of data security. Not all security comes in the form of firewalls and strong passwords. Sometimes, data needs to be kept secure through data destruction. If there are any old computers, hard drives, or other electronics in your office, these are potential security threats. This is because even when files are deleted, they are still kept on the hard drive. Here are some things to know about data destruction services.
Most companies will charge an average of $10 per hard drive that is shredded. While this may seem steep, it is important to know that a data security breach will cost a company on average thousands of dollars in damage. In the grand scheme of things, taking this step now will save your company later. Destroying data can benefit your business by keeping it safe. When you get rid of old computers or electronics, there is only one way to know that old data cannot be found. You can get rid of information from a hard drive by overwriting the data or wiping the hard drive clean. However, these options do not 100% guarantee that the old data will not be recovered.
Data destruction companies also offer different options for the customer. For example, some companies offer mobile services while others are drop off only. West Coast Computer Recycler makes it easy on customers by offering a secure pick up option. This means that they will drive to your business, pick up all your old electronics and then securely transport it back to the main facility. Finally, a data destruction company should be certified. Companies should be ISO 14001 certified. This is a standardized management system that is given to companies regarding environmental management. This means that the company is complying with environmental laws and is taking steps toward minimizing negative effects on the environment.
The first choice to make is whether or not you want to purchase a HDD shredder of your own or contract an outside service. While you can purchase hard drive shredders, they are costly and potentially dangerous as well if not used by trained professionals. When you hire an outside contractor, you can experience professionalism and a job well done. West Coast Computer Recycler is an off site, data destruction company that will help with all your data destruction needs. From hard drives, to RAM sticks to other portable devices, West Coast Computer Recycler can get the job done. They will also schedule a pickup of your items to make it easier for you. West Coast Computer Recycler is also compliant with regulations stated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The first choice to make is whether or not you want to purchase a HDD shredder of your own or contract an outside service. While you can purchase hard drive shredders, they are costly and potentially dangerous as well if not used by trained professionals. When you hire an outside contractor, you can experience professionalism and a job well done.
Categories UncategorizedTags computers, hard drives, ram sticks, recycling, security, shredding, waste
Steps You Should Taking When Destroying Your Computer
If you have an old computer that you no longer have any use for, you might be wondering what to do with it. Before making any decision, you should know that many states have regulations where you can’t simply throw away your computer into the trash. This is because of the amount of hazardous materials and heavy metals that are in computers. Instead of throwing away your old computers, recycling them is the preferred option of getting rid of electronics.
Within the recycling world, there are different ways to recycle. While wiping hard drives clean so that computers can then be re-used is considered a form of recycling, the most common way of computer recycling is when the physical computer is destroyed and all parts that can be reused are sifted out, otherwise known as computer destruction. One important thing to consider when destroying an old computer is that all of your old information is on the computer. Just because you may have deleted all the files from it, they are still written on the hard drive. This means you want to be careful about how you get rid of your computer. Some recycling companies are not certified by the US Environmental Protection Agency, which means all of your data on your computer could be at risk. With this in mind, it is important that you take your old computer to a certified recycling company.
West Coast Computer Recycler offers safe and secure data destruction services. Since they are certified by the US Environmental Protection Agency, you can rest easy knowing that they will safely and securely destroy your computer while also securely getting rid of any data that may be on it. In addition to hard drives, West Coast Computer Recycler also destroys laptops, RAM sticks, CD/DVDs, USB thumb drives, cassette tapes, and more.
For professional computer destruction or recycling services contact us for a quote today!
Steps Needed For Computer Destruction
There are a few steps needed with computer destruction. Making sure all old info is erased off the computer and Making sure the company is certified are a couple of very important factors.
Categories UncategorizedTags certified, computer, computer destruction, computer recycling, computer safty, destruction, electronics, files, hard drives, lap tops, privacy, recycler, safety, usb
Do I Need A Data Destruction Company?
If your business is trying to figure out whether or not it needs to hire a data destruction company there are a few things to consider. In the first place, companies have been using data destruction companies in order to ensure that sensitive information does not get into the wrong hands. Even if you have deleted files from computers, the information is still located in the hard drive. While there are different options to get rid of information stored on hard drives, destroying the data might be the best option for you and your business. Here’s what you need to know if you’re thinking about hiring a data destruction company in Los Angeles.
Data can be destroyed a number of ways. For example, you can lose data through a software that overwrites that data that is already written. If it is written over enough times, then the original information will eventually be untraceable and unreadable. Another option is to degauss your hard drive. During the degaussing process, information that is stored on magnetic tapes and disk drives are destroyed by changing the overall magnetic field. Depending on the strength of the tape type and drive, the strength of the magnet should be adjusted. The final option is to physically destroy the hard drive. When this happens, the data is completely unreadable. This option it best when the hard drive will not be reused, recycled, or given to charity. If you will be reusing or donating the computer, simply overwriting or degaussing the tape is sufficient.
West Coast Computer Recycler is a certified physical data destruction company. Other than hard drives, they also destroy USB thumb drives, solid state drives, data tape cartridges, RAM sticks, CD/DVD media, laptops, portable music devices and more. If you are thinking about destroying your data, consider West Coast Computer Recycler. They will even provide a data destruction quote.
With the rise of technology, protecting data online has been a growing concern. What with identity fraud, hacking, and other scenarios, it is extremely important that individuals and businesses are aware of how to protect important data. Knowing how to protect your data using secure data destruction methods is incredibly important, so here are some things to consider so that you can best protect your private information.
The first thing you should do is figure out where exactly you are storing all of your data. For example, many businesses store their data on different platforms: in the cloud, on local disks, offsite on tape, and disk-based backup systems just to name a few. It is important to know where your data is being stored because each different platform requires its own type of protection. If you are aware of where your data is being stored, then you can take the necessary steps that will best protect your data. In order to minimize the risk of data leaking, implement a “need to know” policy. Essentially, this means that policies are created that limit the amount of access to data sets. Only certain employees have access to certain information, which will allow you to keep better track of things. You can also initiate log entries so you can know who accessed what information and when. A third way to help data protection is to increase your network security. You probably already have firewalls and antivirus software, but it is vital to keep these up to date and to make sure that your network security includes tablets and even phones that are used for business purposes. Another thing to do is to create a lifecycle plan for your data. This requires you to figure out how to securely get rid of old or obsolete data. This includes inventory on all old hardware that may potentially have information stored in the hard drive still. Finally, be sure to educate everyone in your business about data security and the ramifications that may occur if a system is breached. When everyone is on board, it may significantly reduce the chances of data being leaked.
The Importance of Data Destruction
If you or your company are planning on getting rid of old electronics, specifically computers or phones, there is something that you need to know. Simply deleting the files is not enough to protect the valuable information that was stored in your piece of technology. This is especially important for businesses that store vital personal information of customers in their databases. From addresses, maiden names, financial records, banking information and more. Fortunately, there is something that you can do to protect your information or your clients’ information as well. Data destruction is a way to ensure that anyone who gets a hold of your computer after you get rid of it will not be able to unearth any personal information.
Since the demand for data destruction has been on the rise, there are a few options that you can choose from. Various companies have developed data destruction services such as wiping the hard drive, but you want to make sure they are an R2 Certified Recycler. When this is done, the company
is able to remove valuable information and data that has been stored in the hard drive. For the most part, this type of data destruction is quite effective. To take things a step further, you can use physical destruction of the hard drive, which is one of the most secure methods of making sure your data is completely destroyed. What is important to note is that the efficiency of physical destruction depends on how well the item is actually destroyed. If pieces are not broken down small enough, some hackers can still retrieve bits of information. These two services, wiping your hard drive and then physical destruction together is a very secure way of making sure your data won’t be stolen. Another option that tends to be less expensive is to acquire software that will perform data destruction. The software will write over codes for example making any information that is still on your computer unreadable. These are some of the best options for destroying data and keeping vital information safe. Luckily, there are a number of data destruction companies in LA.
What Should Companies Look for When Hiring a Data Destruction & E-Waste Recycling Firm?
If you’re replacing the computers within your business, you’ll find yourself left with a big pile of hardware including monitors, servers, desktop computer, speakers, printers and laptops. However, before donating, selling or recycling these items, there is the important matter of what to do with your hard drives. It is likely that your business’s hard drives are full of confidential information about your company, staff and clients. It is unlikely that you have the facilities in house to deal with the destruction of data yourself. Your staff may not have enough spare time to deal with the data. Alternatively, you might feel that it’s not appropriate for even your most trusted members of staff to deal with such confidential information.
You may find that using the services of a professional data destruction or e-waste recycling firm is the ideal solution. There are strict standards surrounding data destruction and it is important for your company to comply with standards. Hiring the help of the professionals saves you hassle, time and money. If you were to deal with the data yourself, you would need to pay staff to destroy the data and pay for the necessary equipment. Nowadays, most confidential data is stored electronically, so you would need specialized equipment to dispose of it.
When seeking a company to deal with the destruction of your confidential information, it is important to look for a professional data destruction company which has an ethical approach to handling your recycled information. Always check for a company that adheres to government guidelines like West Coast Computer Recycler in Los Angeles. The company should be certified and environmentally friendly. It is likely that a large volume of data will be destroyed so it is important to seek a company that has green policies. It is your choice whether you use a data destruction company that brings a mobile service to your business location or a company that carries out off site destruction. You may feel more secure seeing the data being shredded in your presence. Alternatively, you may find that it is more appropriate to keep confidential information outside of your office before it is destroyed.
Whichever company you opt for, always bear in mind that company certification and adhering to government guidelines are very important factors in choosing a data destruction or e-waste recycling company.