{"id":18264,"date":"2022-01-19T09:15:56","date_gmt":"2022-01-19T14:15:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/quantumlifecycle.com\/staging\/why-deleting-your-files-isnt-enough-to-prevent-personal-information-from-being-leaked\/"},"modified":"2023-09-06T14:51:00","modified_gmt":"2023-09-06T18:51:00","slug":"why-deleting-your-files-isnt-enough-to-prevent-personal-information-from-being-leaked","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/quantumlifecycle.com\/en_CA\/blog\/why-deleting-your-files-isnt-enough-to-prevent-personal-information-from-being-leaked\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Deleting Your Files Isn\u2019t Enough to Prevent Personal Information From Being Leaked"},"content":{"rendered":"

Data leaks can lead to financial loss, reputational damage, and legal action, among other consequences. While the stakes are often higher for organizations, individuals can also face setbacks if their personal data gets in the wrong hands. With this in mind, many people and companies follow deletion practices to prevent hackers from stealing sensitive information. Yet, this can provide a false sense of security, as deletion still leaves a road through which information can be retrieved on your hard drive. Here\u2019s why deleting files falls short, and what you can do to fully protect yourself or your business.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why Is Deleting Personal Data Insufficient for Preventing Data Leaks?<\/h2>\n

When you\u2019ve deleted files in the past, you\u2019ve likely noticed that the process is much quicker than creating or downloading them. That\u2019s because the file isn\u2019t truly gone from your hard drive \u2014 even after you\u2019ve emptied your computer\u2019s trash bin. Instead, the information has been written onto the hard drive\u2019s magnetic fields, which allows the information to be retrieved again. This is especially true for anyone with the right tools and know-how.<\/p>\n

Deleted files are also stored on a \u201cmap\u201d within your computer. From here, the computer retrieves information quickly when it\u2019s requested, saving time from having to search through the entire hard drive. Eventually, your computer will overwrite the sections of the map containing deleted files as more data is created. Yet, until then, hackers with specialized software can manually search through hard drives, including the data you deleted.<\/p>\n

How to Ensure Your Sensitive Data Is Never Leaked<\/h2>\n

Businesses and individuals with sensitive data stored on their devices can use methods such as software updates, high-grade encryptions, and multi-factor authentication to help reduce<\/a> the risk of breaches. Yet, the real threat emerges when the device containing private information is no longer in use. When it\u2019s time to part ways with an unwanted device, there are only two options available for data destruction:<\/a><\/p>\n