The Importance of Data Erasure for Organisations

Data erasure is the process of removing personal data from used tech devices such as PCs and mobile phones. It helps companies to securely and permanently erase private data to prevent its use by third parties. Data erasure enables devices to be re-used rather than sent to land fill, which is way more eco-friendly.

Deleted files can still be retrieved from a hard drive with specialised software. But data erasure destroys all electronically recorded data and overwrites it with random binary information. 

The Global Data Sphere is the amount of data created, captured, and replicated in any given year across the world. IDC claims that the Global Data Sphere will more than double to an estimated 175 Zettabytes by 2025. 

With increased data comes increased data theft. An estimated $4.24 million is the global average expense of a data breach. Data erasure helps organisations prevent data breaches and comply with confidentiality laws. Blackbelt provides the most sophisticated data-wiping solution on the market today.  

Why is data erasure necessary for organisations?  

Hackers constantly target Personal Identifiable Information (PII). PII is information that infers the identity of an individual either directly or indirectly. 

Data erasure destroys PII so that companies can reuse or resell devices without compromising privacy. It also reduces electronic waste. 

The growth of tech and sensitive data and the lifespan of devices have made data erasure obligatory in today’s world.  

What are the benefits of data destruction?  

Governments, lawyers and corporates all now use data erasure software to "clean" their tech. And there are huge benefits: organisations avoid massive fines for non-compliance. They also avoid reputational and brand damage caused by loss of client trust. Data deletion also helps in the fight against cybercrime and fraud.    

Prevent Data Breach:   

To avoid data breaches, businesses need to understand the security dangers they face. They need to heed the warning signals of a potential cyberattack. Having the appropriate, modern security tools and technology in place is essential for data breach prevention. When data theft occurs in a company, the damage is largely irreversible. Most impacted businesses fail within months after a data incident. As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure.  

Legal Safeguarding:  

Businesses that save and handle personal data must comply with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Data breaches mean monetary or intellectual property loss and can lead to million-dollar fines. Company reputations are on the line. Legal challenges are time consuming and costly.  

Businesses can protect themselves from these by destroying data and certifying they have done so.  

Brand Representation: 

Brand value can suffer from data breaches, which can influence consumer behaviour and share price. According to Statista 2023, there were 14.78 documented data breaches in Q3 of 2022. IT Governance reports that security incidents are down 14.8% from 2021 levels. The reported incidences in the first half of 2023 also seem to have dropped significantly.  

If your business uses customer data, it's vital for its future success to have a secure data management strategy. Businesses suffering a public data breach will know such an event can destroy their representation. To prevent incidences like this with your business, it's best to comply with all appropriate governance.  

Building Trust:  

Data breaches can tarnish a company's reputation for years. Extensive marketing and public relations efforts are needed to repair the damage.   

Conclusion:  

Data privacy is crucial from both a compliance and consumer rights standpoint. Consumers value the importance of data privacy in today's data-driven society. Their dependency on companies to handle their data has risen. Organisations will be better able to meet data privacy obligations and comply with industry regulations if privacy is at the heart of their processes and policies.

If you have any questions about Blackbelt Defence and how we can help you, do not hesitate to get in touch with the team by clicking the link below.

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