The rise of digital technology has precipitated the generation of more data than ever before. Today, the world generates over 2.5 quintillion bytes of data every day. In Singapore where internet penetration stands at over 90%, every business is now online. With more digital interactions, data has become an incredible asset for organisations. However, with this opportunity also comes immense risk. Data loss is one of the greatest risks for modern organisations.
To reduce data exposure, your organisation has to use effective data disposal procedures.
To reduce data exposure, your organisation has to use effective data disposal procedures. Data deletion and data erasure are two types of data sanitisation procedures. While people use these terms interchangeably, there are critical differences which have implications for data security. This post explores deletion vs erasure to help you make the right data sanitisation method.
Distinguishing Deletion and Data Erasure
Data deletion is a process of data sanitisation where you remove files and folders from the hard drive. Every digital device today from laptops, smartphones, to wearables has the option of data deletion. When you delete the data, the system simply removes the pointer to the data and gives you more free storage space. While the procedure might limit access to the data in your data storage device, the data is still recoverable. For instance, when you delete a file from a hard disc, an expert can easily delete the file.
Data erasure is a more effective data management procedure. The software-based method involves overwriting of data in your storage system such that it becomes fully unrecoverable. Your data destruction company uses data erasure to destroy all electronic data in your computers. Whether you want to dispose of your digital media or computers or recycle, this data destruction method uses a complex set of zeros and ones, which overwrites any information on your digital storage devices.
While data deletion removes data from one sector of your storage device, the material is still recoverable. Data erasure is a more comprehensive data destruction procedure where the data destruction expert destroys all the data in every sector of your storage devices.
The major difference between the two data destruction procedures is the level of data security offered. Data erasure is a more comprehensive and final data destruction process. Data deletion is a temporary removal of data from one sector of your device and doesn’t offer the most effective data security solution.
Data erasure is a more comprehensive and final data destruction process. Data deletion is a temporary removal of data from one sector of your device.
Data Erasure
If you want to destroy data in your organisation’s systems, one of the most effective procedures to choose is data erasure. The cutting-edge data destruction process replaces traditional forms of data sanitisation. In data erasure, you hire a professional data destruction expert to handle the data destruction process.
The process involves the use of data erasure software, which overwrites all the data existing in your system. Before the process starts, your data destruction professional reviews the data targeted for destruction. The professional software tailors the software for your organisation’s data destruction process.
Data erasure software is applicable for a wide range of IT assets from hard drives, data centre equipment, smartphones, laptops, PCs to servers. Whatever data storage hardware you have at your business, the data destruction company has the resources to complete the job.
Another important consideration in data erasure is the application of data destruction standards. Data erasure is a highly-regulated industry with set standards that every operator should meet. During the data destruction process, the software and techniques used must meet the industry’s standards.
Certification is a critical aspect of data erasure. When you work with a data destruction company, the professionals verify that all the data is no longer recoverable. The certification happens after verifying that the overwriting process has worked. Any certified data destruction company follows the industry regulations and provides a certificate after successfully destroying the data in your company’s hardware.
Any certified data destruction company follows the industry regulations and provides a certificate after successfully destroying the data in your company’s hardware.
Data Deletion
Data deletion is a popular data destruction removal technique but also one of the most unreliable. If you have sensitive data in your organisation’s systems, data deletion might seem like a quick way to remove the material from your systems. While the computer has marked the space occupied by your data as free, your files are still available within the system.
If you were to dispose an end-of-life computer with the hard disc reading empty, a computer expert can easily recover all or most of the files you deleted. For your organisation in Singapore, data deletion gives you a false sense of security even when you dispose your old data storage devices.
Through data deletion, you might expose your organisation to cyberattacks and other malicious attacks. Anyone who recovers the data in the storage devices may use the information illegally. Data loss may lead to identity theft, online fraud, blackmail, hacking, and exposure to other cybercrimes. If you lose clients’ data to cyberattacks, your business faces huge financial losses, debilitating fines, loss of customer trust and other negative consequences.
While data deletion is a quick way to remove data from visibility, this is not an effective data destruction method. Your data destruction professional won’t use this as part of the data sanitisation procedures and will most likely opt for more innovative and comprehensive solutions.
Professional Data Destruction to Protect Your Organisation
Singapore is one of the most robust economies powered by digital technology. If you run a business here, there are myriad opportunities and also risks. Cyber security is one of the greatest threats to organisations in the country. One way to protect your business is through effective data destruction method. With so much data degenerated every day, your business must have a solid data security strategy.
If you lose clients’ data to cyberattacks, your business faces huge financial losses, debilitating fines, loss of customer trust and other negative consequences.
Data destruction methods such as data erasure guarantee no one lays hands on your company’s data. If you have company hardware such as computers or smartphones which you want to dispose, data erasure guarantees all data in these devices is not recoverable. Data erasure is the most efficient data destruction procedure and also comes with a guarantee. The data destruction company verifies that the data is no longer available in any of your devices.
Final Thoughts
Data deletion and data erasure are both methods used in data security management. However, while many businesses use the terms interchangeably, there are key factors that distinguish the data destruction methods. Data deletion doesn’t remove your data totally from a storage device, while data erasure is a permanent process, which means the data is no longer recoverable.
We Have Your Back
Our secure IT asset disposal services provides the dependable solution you need for your e-waste and end-of-life asset needs. Our team applies safe and sustainable steps that are regulatory-compliant at every stage of the process.
From the point of collection, auditing, shredding and/or wiping to remarketing and/or donating your IT assets, you can be sure with our end-to-end services that we take your security seriously.
We have coverage against the loss of or damage to your goods during transportation. This includes marine cargo shipment from the ports to the warehouses
Our professional team of asset removers ensure your devices are packed safely into our vehicles which are also equipped with GPS-tracking systems. We have armed our warehouses with fingerprint-only access complete with security alarms and 24/7 CCTVs in place
Our reach spans across the globe through our networks of partners and vendors. Wherever your business is based, you can leverage our worldwide network and we would be happy to assist you throughout your ITAD journey
SPW is Asia's go-to solutions provider for data destruction, data erasure, IT asset remarketing, and environmentally-responsible IT asset disposals. Contact us and learn how you can incorporate an ITAD strategy into your business today.
