4 creative – yet ineffective – ways to destroy data

Humans can be very creative, and we have dreamt up some very original ideas. Some of those creative ideas have worked out. For instance, we have a flying transporter (aka an airplane), a social network that connects a billion people (Facebook), an antibiotic that saves hundreds of millions of lives (penicillin), and of course, the most important…that little plastic tip at the end of shoelaces (the aglet).

Then again, some creative ideas just don’t work out. There’s a reason you’ve never heard of Harley Davidson perfume or Cosmopolitan yogurt. Creative ideas to be sure, but just not successful.

When it comes to permanently deleting data, humans have also had some pretty creative ideas. While the following ideas get high marks for creativity, these ways of destroying hard drives are very ineffective and/or dangerous:

1. Drilling holes in it. If you fail to drill holes in all the right places, your data could be compromised.
2. Hammering it. Hammer away and hope for the best, but your data can survive more than you think.
3. Taking it apart piece by piece. First of all, that sounds very time consuming. Second of all, each individual piece still has to be destroyed otherwise it can be put right back together.
4. Microwaving it. If your data is encased in any sort of metal, that’s a potential fire hazard. There’s a pretty good reason why we don’t put aluminum foil in the microwave.

These are four creative, yet ineffective ways to destroy data. But here’s one 100% effective way: with Stevens & Stevens Data Destruction Service, we can shred your hard drives, storage tapes, DVD’s, CD’s, zip drives and all other assorted e-waste. Our method leaves behind an unreadable pile of debris. Plus, it eliminates the potential hazard of do-it-yourself methods. We’ll also provide you with a Certificate of Destruction which serves as proof of your compliance and corporate due diligence. Doesn’t this sound a whole lot easier than the other eight options? Learn more about destroying data here or call us at (855) 573-3900.