What Role Does Data Destruction Play In Cybersecurity?

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Very often in organisations, conversations about cybersecurity take the form of how they can best protect the data they keep. This can be in the form of software, such as firewalls, anti-virus software, machine learning, and AI technology, or in shielding against the human element - tiered access, door passcodes, or awareness training.

The problem lies in the fact few organisations consider data destruction - how to dispose of data safely and responsibly so that it can't be accessed by others after disposal. It is an important part of cybersecurity both for the expectations of customers, clients, and partners that their personal data is safe, and in regard to government regulations.

Data destruction - What it is and what it isn't

In the days before computers and the internet took over the world, data destruction was a much simpler process. An organisation only had to run papers through a shredder, drop the shreds off at a recycling plant, keep a record of what was shredded, and all regulatory compliance was met. This was enough to ensure that data was not lost or picked up by prying eyes and criminals.

Digital storage has made data destruction a more difficult task. While some employees may believe that just deleting files....

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Hakin9 TEAM: Hakin9 is a monthly magazine dedicated to hacking and cybersecurity. In every edition, we try to focus on different approaches to show various techniques - defensive and offensive. This knowledge will help you understand how most popular attacks are performed and how to protect your data from them. Our tutorials, case studies and online courses will prepare you for the upcoming, potential threats in the cyber security world. We collaborate with many individuals and universities and public institutions, but also with companies such as Xento Systems, CATO Networks, EY, CIPHER Intelligence LAB, redBorder, TSG, and others.