The way a company handles its data is essential to its own safety. In the modern age of advanced technology and computer-literate people, any malpractices in the way a company handles its data can result in grave consequences. Over the years, there have been companies whose confidential information was leaked to the public, resulting in lawsuits by the affected parties.
1. Data Destruction
It is an essential process when a company is looking to dispose of their data or data storage devices. Organizations are advised to rely on professional assistance for effective destruction. There are companies that offer services for secure data destruction in Massachusetts to organizations looking to dispose of data and other data storage hardware. It is good to note that formatting a hard disk or restoring a mobile device back to its factory settings does not permanently erase its previously held data. Using appropriate software, it may only take a few minutes to recover the data. The same applies to mechanical destruction. Whereas it may be preferred for being cost-effective, it does not always result in permanent deletion unless done properly. Degaussing is an effective data destruction technique. It involves disorienting the magnetism of a storage device such as a hard disk, rendering it useless. An effectively degaussed storage device does not leave any chance of data recovery.
2. Data Security
This refers to the measures put in place to ensure that access to a company’s data is limited to only authorized parties. For instance, in an organization, different employees may be granted different levels of access to the company’s information. This is regulated by providing employees with log-in credentials. Their degree of interaction with the data may also be regulated. For instance, there are employees who are only allowed to view the data but cannot modify or delete it. Higher ranking employees, such as managers and supervisors, may then be allowed to access and even modify the data. Another way of ensuring data security is by ensuring that the employees’ access is limited to only the data that they need to perform their duties. For instance, in a hospital setting, the receptionists may be allowed to access only the patients’ list for purposes of registering new patients. However, they may be denied access to view the doctors’ notes and prescriptions relating to the patients.
3. Data Storage and Backup
Sometimes, a hard drive may break down, making it impossible to access its data. The same applies to an organization’s servers. Hence, it is essential for an organization to back up their data as a contingency plan. Otherwise, it may risk a breakdown in its operations in the event of a server breakdown. Companies tend to back up their data every 12 or 24 hours, depending on its magnitude.
Every piece of data possesses value to the right party. There are companies that have been brought to their knees as a result of a simple data leak. Others have fast-tracked their growth through data espionage. Therefore, it is essential for every company to be diligent in the way they handle their data.