Act now on Data Protection issues

Data protection is, of course, a worrying and emotive issue, never more so than when a company is looking to dispose of redundant hardware which may contain proprietary information. Many security and IT managers choose to lock away redundant hard disks, or at least ensure that private data never leaks, while others choose instant destruction by way of a hammer or drilling holes in the hard drive. That said, this is unnecessary – and will in fact cost companies financially in the long run.

Although there have been a number of high profile incidents involving data being retrieved from hard drives (think Sir Paul McCartney's financial data, or the credit card details available on the Which? web site), data can be permanently and irreversibly removed from hard drives using specialist software.

Some companies will claim they have removed data from a client's hardware but the process isn't always carried out in a professional manner. We advise that you check the credentials of the wiping software used. Does it have Government-recommended status, for instance?

Following studies in the US, they've shown that repairing or rebuilding a hard disk after a drill or hammer attack is actually possible, if expensive.

A compelling reason for using an approved data removal company is the financial return the security manager can gain for the company from seemingly redundant systems. If you clean the hard drives rather than take a hammer to them, your PCs can be sold on – and will generate at least a 5% return into the hardware budget year-on-year.