What happens to your electronic hardwares and devices when you no longer use them? Typically, most users end up tossing them down the rubbish chute, leaving them by the garbage collection area, or simply selling them to the nearest rag-and-bones man. However, shredding is actually the most secure and cost-effective way to dispose of all types of end-of-life data-carrying devices and items, from solid state drives to credit cards. The question remains — what is shredding, exactly, and why is it better to seek out shredding services in Singapore for your discarded devices?
What is Shredding?
Source: https://www.shrednations.com/2017/06/hard-drive-disposal-video/?cn-reloaded=1
Shredding is a process that completely destroys drive platters, mechanisms, and electronic components of a device, rendering the data within unrecoverable. This ensures that your data is permanently destroyed. The shredding machine has multiple cutting blades and will break down devices into small pieces, after which the technicians will sort and retrieve recyclable materials from the resulting debris. Shredding services in Singapore are primarily used by large corporations with huge amounts of e-waste, and by extension, lots of sensitive data to dispose of.
How Does Shredding Work?
Shredding differs depending on the type of device you’re planning to get rid of. However, using a hard drive as an example, shredding services in Singapore begin by removing the hard drive from its host device. Then, the HDD information, such as serial number, is captured, and the chain of custody documents are issued to facilitate asset write-offs. With permission in hand, the e-waste disposal company can then proceed to feed the hard drive into the shredder, which will slice and dice the device into small pieces. The shredded byproduct is then sorted for recyclable materials. Finally, a certificate of data destruction is issued as proof that the device and its data have been destroyed.
Why You Should Shred Your Devices
According to one report, over 360,000 files were found in just 85 discarded devices, and a large chunk of those files contained sensitive information like email addresses, dates of birth, and even credit card numbers. In short, devices, when improperly disposed of, can be a treasure trove of information for data thieves who regularly go through discarded devices. In a nation that relies heavily on data, insecure electronic waste disposal in Singapore can lead to sensitive data being retrieved to commit a variety of crimes, from credit card phishing, to identity theft. For businesses, data breach can potentially damage their reputation beyond repair.
Regardless of whether you’re responsible for just your own devices, or those of your organisation’s, there’s personal data in all of them, and nothing short of shredding and total data destruction would be sufficient in preventing that data from being stolen eventually. Regular folks would want to prevent their credit card or other personal pieces of information from being used against them, and organisations would want to protect themselves from cyber attacks, information theft, and other serious breaches.
To ensure a secure and thorough destruction of your devices and data, choose companies that are qualified and licensed to carry out shredding services in Singapore. Here at Metalo, we offer a wide range of data destruction services, including shredding, for many types of data-bearing devices, on top of other processes for proper electronic waste disposal in Singapore. Not only are we licensed by NEA to carry out these services; we are also assessed and certified to demonstrate compliance to industry standards for human health and the environment, quality, and more importantly, data security standards.
For more information about our services, please visit our website.
You can dispose of your non-regulated electronic products at any of the selected Shell locations at any time.