Don’t Use Format, Fdisk or delete utilities to erase Confidential data, as it leads to data breach.
The Risk
Data that is created by an organization hops through various storage media in different systems before it finally rests at its final destination. This also includes multiple intermediaries who would either temporarily store the information or process it before it moves on. It is responsibility of all the involved parties ‘The creator’, ‘The Intermediary’ and ‘The final recipient’, to handle data responsibly and protect it against unauthorized disclosure.
Prying eyes that may sometimes include competitors and hackers can gain access to sensitive information. They often look at a weak spot to get access. This often translates into looking at residual data on a media that has left an organization without going through sufficient sanitization.
If you are not sanitizing a storage media before disposal, then your organization is at RISK.
IF the storage media has left the control of the organization or stays within the organization but is no longer going to be protected with the same levels of confidentiality, your organization has LEGAL and ETHICAL obligation to ensure that DATA on the storage media is effectively erased in a SECURE manner.
The Requirement
Often, many organizations use a quick fix method like deleting files or use operating system commands like FDISK & FORMAT. These methods are very insecure as many companies provide professional software and lab services to recover data from such and even more complex situations.
A professional DATA ERASURE TOOL is required to ensure that, in no way can confidential information be accessed on storage media, by following various Internationally recognized SANITIZATION STANDARDS.
