No matter how long you have had your computer, there will come a time when you no longer want or need it.
But when the time comes to sell, pass on or throw out your computer, it is vital to ensure your business information is securely erased.
Computers play a vital role in storing our personal, private, valuable and compromising data. So we need to ensure that information doesn’t end up in the wrong hands.
The technology that allows you to retrieve a desperately need file when your computer crashes can also be used to recover your files when your computer changes hands – unless you take appropriate steps to prevent this.
In an article on the FlyingSolo website, David Moore, Data Backup Manager at Don’t Lose It, advises that the best way to securely erase your computer is to do it while it is still functioning and under your control.
Mr Moore said “secure erasing” software such as Eraser and CCleaner is readily available freeware for Windows, while Apple users will find Mac OS has secure erasing built in to many versions.
“These tools work by overwriting ‘empty space’ and selected files with useless random information. This means that when someone tries to recover the files all they get is rubbish,” Mr Moore said.
“The tools will work on pretty much any drive, USB thumb drive, or external hard disk you can plug into your computer.”
Be warned that anything you want from the computer or drive should be backed up, that securely erasing a drive can be a time-consuming process and that if you make a mistake you could kill the whole system as well as erasing data.
Note also that nothing is foolproof. There are various degrees of secure erasing and it is not unheard of for people to get past single and even multiple overwrites. Also be aware that some devices, such as Solid State Drives (SSDs), have built-in electronics that can confuse secure erasers and cause bits of information to be left on the computer or drive.
But that doesn’t mean that smashing your old computer with a hammer is the safest way to destroy old files. In fact, belting your computer into a non-working state may not necessarily destroy the hard drive. And, even if it does, it might still be possible in some circumstances for information to be recovered.