We’ve all heard the horror stories of business and government data breaches leaking millions of private records on the internet. If you’re in a business that handles sensitive data, then you have a responsibility to properly sanitize it in the event of a leak.
That’s where data erasure comes into play. But, exactly what is data erasure? And why is it important?
If you want to learn the answer to these questions, and more, then you’re in the right place. In this article, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about this practice.
What Is Data Erasure?
Data erasure is a type of data sanitization that’s used for both active and inactive devices. Data can be stored on PCs, servers, hard drives, loose drives, data centers, and cloud networks.
If it falls under IT, then it can contain data. This is a problem because the data can be accessed even when you think it’s deleted or inactive. That’s where data clearing software comes into play.
This software will overwrite any information on the device with randomly generated binary codes. These codes are set by a certain standard, and they ensure that any data on the device can never be accessed again.
Why Is It Important?
Data erasure is essential so that companies can protect their data from cybercriminals and similar parties. Remember that file delete commands don’t get rid of files.
This is a problem if you have an old office computer that you want to get rid of. You donate it when someone buys it and finds sensitive data. Data erasure ensures that this, and things like it, never happen.
On top of that, it’s also one of the more environmentally-friendly forms of data wiping. That’s because you don’t need to physically destroy whatever device the data is on to secure the data.
How to Find the Best Data Erasure Software
The last thing you want is to think you’ve properly erased data only to be foiled by poor-quality software. Experience and good reviews are a great starting place for data erasure software providers.
However, you should also look for flexible tools that give you other reporting and diagnostic options. If you need a suggestion, then we recommend going secure with Certus.
They’re known as the world leader in data destruction for a reason. Regardless of which option you choose, make sure that the data erasure procedure is certified.
Appreciate Learning About Data Erasure? Keep Reading
We hope this article helped you learn more about data erasure and why it’s important for certain businesses. At the end of the day, data erasure gives you the peace of mind that any sensitive data on old devices is gone.
That way, you never have a private or public reckoning in the event of a leak. Appreciate learning about this topic? We have hundreds of more educational articles like it so keep reading to find them.
