In the age of technology, data breaches are common. The 21st century saw the largest data breaches in modern history.
- Adobe lost 153 million records to a data leak and paid $1.1 million in legal fees and an estimated $1 million in settlement to customers.
- LinkedIn had data leaks from 2012 to 2016 and lost 165 million records. The hackers sold the 165 million passwords for $2,000 a piece. LinkedIn dealt with this for over 4 years to control the breach.
- Equifax lost 143 million records (including social security numbers, addresses, and driver’s licenses) in 2017 and had to pay an undisclosed amount to affected customers.
Preventing data breaches is one of the best ways to prevent years of public distrust, lost court fees, and millions of dollars in settlements. The value of data security is well known in business circles, but it is overlooked when a cell phone becomes outdated, or a laptop is replaced by the latest version. Do you know where the data on unused devices end up?
The United States implemented laws for proper device disposal, in which companies are legally obligated to eliminate data. HIPPA, SOX, PCI, FCRA, GLBA, and CCPA are a small portion of compliance laws that require proper data destruction.
When choosing a company to eliminate data, it is important that they are NAID AAA Certified. This certification requires annual audits to ensure proper data destruction procedures are followed. Company transparency is also a key factor. You should always have access to information about where your devices are, what step in the data destruction process they are in, and where the device ends up after data erasure occurs.
Do you feel confident that your data is secured, even after device retirement? Our team is always available to answer questions and discuss your company’s data security.
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