In plain words, data destruction is the process of destroying information, including physical records like paper documents and the data stored on magnetic tapes, hard drives, optical disks, memory chips, etc. Its purpose is to obliterate information (or "data" in the modern sense) such that it becomes irretrievable forever and to every means humanly possible. The above definition is a cursory glance at data destruction, outlining its core "functional” facet. A genuine appreciation of the subject requires a multi-facet inquiry into the historical origins of data destruction, its evolution with data storage technology, and where it stands today.
Data Destruction has been an integral part of the “knowledge cycle” that shaped human awareness and wisdom through the ages. Through the information acquisition, assimilation, synthesis, and distribution stages in this iterative cycle— data destruction allowed securing the redundant and secretive information from exposure by obliterating it beyond reversal.
Data destruction has emerged as a top-tier industrial need considering the surfeit of data, storage devices, and data protection laws. We elaborated on the key drivers elevating data destruction to its current prominence in Chapter 2 of our Data Destruction knowledge series. Interestingly, the data destruction realm is not new. It has been an integral part of the human knowledge cycle for thousands of years since papyrus was invented in 4000 BCE. You may want to read Chapter 1 to explore the historical origins and fundamental meaning of data destruction. Fast forward to the present, organizations need to understand “how to” execute data destruction in the real world such that they safeguard the data privacy of customers, avoid breaches, and meet compliance with the global data privacy and protection laws.
Data destruction is a crucial and evolving business need, considering the prodigious growth of data, storage devices, and data protection regulations. And, there are several ways to attain secure and compliant data destruction that you have read in Chapter 3 - Data Destruction Methods and Techniques of this knowledge series. However, a question lingers beyond understanding the technicalities of data destruction.
The previous chapter outlined the building blocks of data destruction policy, focusing on “what all” components your organization needs to consider when drafting a data destruction policy. Among these components, effective execution of data destruction procedures is crucial to protect data privacy and attain compliance. In other words, organizations can achieve favorable outcomes by following globally accepted standards for data destruction.
In the previous chapters, we covered data destruction policy and standards as key enablers for implementing the data destruction methods and techniques. This chapter of the knowledge series highlights the best practices to ensure that your data destruction framework— comprising the techniques, policy, and standards— generates the desired outcomes. By determining the best inputs for the “what”, “when”, & “how” of your overarching data destruction framework, these best practices set up your organization for consistent success.
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