The Consequences OfFailing To Follow DataDestruction Guidelines

Data in and of itself is
simply a set of bits that becomes information only when it
is interpreted
and used.
Information
has a life that
can be quantified.
Most
information
loses its value
over time,
though there are some
exceptions.
But those
exceptions
and the
lifetime of information
must both be
defined or
serious
consequences
may ensue. Some
information
may be
needed for
years, while
other sets of information
may have a
lifespan of
months,
weeks or
even days. A business must
remember
that
information
comes from
data, which is a physical
imprint on
some
physical
device that
does not go away when
the useful
life of the
information
is over. A
physical action must
be completed
to close the
lifecycle:
data
destruction. The useful
life of
information
will indicate
the retention
period of the underlying
data. When
the end of the
retention
period for
that data is reached,
then, for
many reasons
both strategic
and practical,
the data must be purged
from all
systems. The most
obvious
benefit of
data retention
and
destruction guidelines is
the freeing
up of data
storage
capacity. It
costs money to retain data,
so why
should you
pay to retain
data that is no
longer needed?
Besides the reductions in
cost, data destruction
guidelines makes computer
management that much
easier because there is that much less data to manage. But freeing up disk space is
not the primary reason for
these guidelines. The
retention of information
depends on the nature and
the usefulness of the information. Also, the
sensitivity and
confidentiality of the
information must be taken
into account. Considering the
state of computer forensics these days, old data, even if
deleted, can still be
recovered -- this action is
totally unacceptable with
any information deemed
sensitive or confidential. Such information must be
purged according to defined
guidelines based on the
useful lifetime of the
information. There is another instance in
which unfavourable
consequences will ensure if
data destruction guidelines
are not followed. Hardware
replacement occurs all the time. A laptop screen burns
out or a desktop workstation
must be replaced. Consider
the data sitting on the hard
drive. What if a failed hard
drive must be returned to the manufacturer for a warranty
replacement? In all those
situations, the data still sits
on the storage components
of those devices and can be
retrieved. We're talking about such important
information as your
confidential client lists,
descriptions of your
proprietary processes or
sensitive details about your upcoming projects. You do
not want that information
released to your competitors.
Consider the lawsuits that
may result if there's a release
of patient data if you're a medical office or a release of
client tax data if you're an
accounting firm. Then, on top of all these
situations, think about all
the government regulations
that spell out in detail how
certain types of business
must handle data related to clients or to company
finances. Legal
consequences may indeed be
severe if data retention and
destruction guidelines are not
followed. Find out more information
about data destruction through Sims Recycling. Article Source: http:// EzineArticles.com/?
expert=Jamie_Simpson