Tossing an old hard drive? Not so fast!

Whether you’re a small business owner or a large corporation, minimizing risks to your organization is a top priority. All too often, files are deleted from computers to “clear” the information before a hard drive is discarded. Unfortunately, just hitting delete is not enough and data can still be recovered.

Having a proactive security strategy to prevent unwanted access to confidential information stored on hard drives is crucial. Consider the following:

• Consult your IT department. Before purchasing new equipment, consult with your IT department on securing data stored on hard drives.
• Use passwords. Change your passwords frequently and only share your passwords with people who need to access the information.
• Destroy hard drives properly. If you donate, recycle or discard a computer, be sure to take the proper precautions to protect the information still on the hard drive. Speak with an area records management company that specializes in hard drive destruction.

By adding an information security component to your business records management plan, you can better safeguard the information you use on a daily basis.