Sureworks is a specialist in ITAD and Lifecycle Services, focusing on recycling, refurbishing, and reselling equipment instead of disposing of it. We ensure that no equipment ends up in landfills, and we offer data sanitization services to securely remove all information from data-bearing equipment. Data sanitization can be done on-site at clients’ locations or at our secured facilities. ITAD and Lifecycle Services companies use different methods for data destruction to ensure data security and privacy.
Destruction through physical means
Equipment can be physically destroyed using industrial shredders to render it unusable for data salvage or reuse. In some instances, the hardware may be recycled into new materials or items, but not in its original form. If shredders are not feasible due to the materials used, the equipment may be crushed or bent instead.
Resetting magnetic properties
Degaussing involves subjecting devices to a powerful magnetic field to permanently delete data from hard disk drives and various types of tapes. By passing an electrical charge through a degaussing coil, a magnetic field is created, and additional technologies can be utilized to enhance the erasure process.
Data wiping
Data erasure involves using software to overwrite storage equipment sectors with random 0s and 1s, making existing data unrecoverable. This method ensures complete data sanitization at the byte level, but it is time-consuming and requires a strict sanitization process for each decommissioned device. Hardware that undergoes data erasure can be reused, resold, and provides additional value instead of being disposed of in a landfill.
Encryption deletion
Cryptographic data erasure utilizes public-key cryptography to encrypt all data on a device, ensuring its irretrievability. The private key used for encryption is discarded, further securing the encrypted data. However, there is a risk of the key being obtained before disposal, potentially compromising the data’s security.
Data Anonymization
Data masking is a commonly used technique that complies with various standards in different regions. It involves creating fake data while preserving the structure, by shuffling characters, replacing words, and randomizing text. The masked data cannot be reversed to reveal the original values, making it a highly effective sanitization method.
Interested in discovering Sureworks’ method for data sanitization and how it can benefit your retired hardware? Contact us for more information!
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