Secure media destruction services are specialized services offered by professional shredding companies that involve securely destroying various forms of electronic storage media such as CDs, DVDs, USB drives, tapes, and other types of data storage devices. These services are designed to ensure that the data stored on the media is permanently and irretrievably destroyed, making it impossible for the data to be accessed by unauthorized individuals.
There are a few different methods that can be used for media destruction, including:
Physical destruction: This involves physically destroying the media using methods such as drilling, crushing, or shredding. This ensures that the media is no longer functional and that the data stored on it is permanently destroyed.
Degaussing: This process uses a powerful magnetic field to erase the data stored on the media. This method is effective but it can only be used on certain types of media.
Overwriting: This process involves writing new data over the existing data on the media, multiple times, making the previous data unreadable.
Incineration: This process involves burning the media in a controlled environment. It’s one of the most secure method of destruction, but also it’s not very common and it’s also not environmentally friendly.
Most professional media destruction companies will use a combination of these methods to ensure that the data stored on the media is permanently and irretrievably destroyed. They also provide certification of destruction, which serves as proof that the media has been properly and securely disposed of.
These services can be beneficial for businesses, organizations or individuals that need to dispose of old or unused media, especially those that contain sensitive information. It’s also important for companies that handle sensitive information to comply with regulations such as HIPAA, FACTA and others, which require the destruction of media that contains personal or confidential information.