Electronic shredding and media destruction is something that many people overlook, but just like physical documents, electronic hard drives and other forms of electronic media need to be properly disposed of. Improper disposal of hard drives or other electronic media devices is one of the leading causes of identity theft.

Due to the sensitive material contained in these electronic forms, there are laws and regulations for businesses to follow, and companies that provide shredding services for these products. Simply wiping the information off of a hard drive or other electronic media product is not enough. Many times, that information can be restored, or partially restored, if it ends up in the wrong hands.

Many of these laws have been put in place by HIPAA to protect customers and patients, but there are also federal regulations. Let’s review some of those laws, and what exactly they mean for hospitals, doctor offices, businesses, and individuals.

• All businesses must meet Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act requirements

This means that all businesses must properly dispose of data to avoid a data breach. Proper disposal is recommended to be shredding, as it is the most secure method.

• A compliant professional must be hired to perform the disposal process

This ensures that businesses are hiring a disposal company to perform the disposal process. This ensures it is done properly, without a risk for information to be leaked. Going through a professional also means you will receive a certificate confirming that you properly disposed of materials, which protects you and your business from any accusations of improper disposal.

• All sensitive materials must go through this disposal process, not just hard drives

Sensitive material may include hard drives, flash drives, floppy discs, x-ray’s, magnetic tapes, SCSI drives, all audio-visual media, CPU’s, mobile devices like cell phones or tablets, gaming systems, televisions, credit or debit cards, televisions, badges, microfilms, backup tapes, RAM and ROM storage, and biomedical devices. Any device that could potentially contain personal information must adhere to these laws if you are a business of any kind.

Remember, even if you are an individual, not a business of any kind, it is recommended that you follow these laws and adhere to the proper disposal methods. Doing so will protect you from potential identity theft, information leaks, and sensitive data ending up in the wrong hands. At Corporate Destruction Solutions, we offer hard drive shredding, electronic recycling and magnetic data erasure/degaussing. Contact online or call us at 877-868-0041 – we’ll come to your site in order to make the process quick and painless for you.