Summary: Disposing of old computers poses unique challenges to protecting individuals’ privacy as the personal data stored on old laptops and desktops can be illegally extracted and misused. This blog post sheds light on the risks of data theft and how to dispose of old computers safely to eliminate these risks.
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There are times when you need to dispose of old laptop or desktop computers that don?t work well. In that case, you may choose to donate the old computer or dump it with a reseller or recycler. You might also decide to upgrade the old computer and exchange it for a high-end laptop in the market.
In all these situations, the computer leaves your ownership and goes into the possession of a third party (individual or organization) with complete control over the device and your personal data stored on it. The computer?s new owner can use publicly available software or lab recovery techniques to retrieve your data and misuse it if they want.
Notably, even if you had deleted the data, emptied the Recycle Bin, or formatted the hard drive before disposing of the computer, the data remains inside the computer?s storage drive in a recoverable state.
Therefore, you must dispose of the data before getting rid of the old or used computer. And you can dispose of the data using the data erasure technique. Of course, you need to back up all data you expect to use in the future before erasing it from the old device because the erased data is removed forever without any scope for recovery.
Disposing Of an Old Computer ? Types of Data at Risk of Leak
Disposing of an old computer without prior data erasure can leak the following types of sensitive personal information:
- Private photos & videos
- Passport and visa details
- Social security number
- Birth records
- Income tax records
- Personal health records
- Contacts, messages, and call recordings
- Online banking passwords
- Social media login credentials, and more?
The biggest hazard of unsafe data disposal is that you may not even know about data leak or compromise until much later when the damage is done. We discuss the major implications of personal data theft in the following section.
Risks of Disposing Of an Old Computer without Erasing the Data?
Data theft or leaks when disposing of an old computer without data erasure can shape various risks in the form of identity theft, credit records manipulation, financial frauds, mental harassment, etc.
- Identity theft & financial frauds
In this scenario, an imposter assumes your identity by taking illegal possession of your confidential personal information, such as social security numbers or birth records. The impersonator then exploits your identity to perform fraudulent banking and credit card transactions, credit history manipulation, debt accrual, etc., causing tremendous financial harm. Identity theft in the long term could also mean a destroyed credit history, denial of service or opportunities, and falsified records that could take years to rectify, if possible at all. As per Consumer Sentinel Network Book published by the Federal Trade Commission in 2021, nearly 400,000 credit card frauds and 242,000 loan or lease frauds were reported in 2020 in the US due to identity theft.
Frauds reported due to identity theft in the US in 2020
[Source: Consumer Sentinel Network Book – Federal Trade Commission 2021]
- False incrimination & legal risks
Aside from financial risks and denial of services, personal data theft and its manipulation can hold you responsible for misdeeds carried out in your name. The situation may compel you to face criminal charges and trudge through a legal course to settle down the disputes arising out of bad loans, fake transactions, etc. This false incrimination can extend beyond fake financial transactions to nefarious social engineering schemes at your expense, with grave legal implications.
- Online defamation & credibility loss
Data theft can make you a victim of defamation, embarrassment, and public scrutiny at a minimum. These are reasons enough for mental torment aside from the loss of credibility and implications like social ostracism. Imagine a nightmarish situation, where someone?s private information like photos or videos are extracted from a disposed of computer and posted on a social media website!
Data Erasure for Safe Disposal of Old Computers
Data erasure is a powerful technique based on ?overwriting? of the existing data with binary patterns like 0s, 1s, and a random character. The technique permanently erases (wipes) the data, rendering it irretrievable using any tool, method, lab procedure. Therefore, erasing the data stored on a computer you wish to sell, exchange, donate, dispose of, etc., ensures it is gone forever, protecting you from the risks of data theft and leakage.
How to perform data erasure?
There are DIY data erasure software tools, such as Stellar File Eraser, that allow a fast, effortless, and guaranteed way to wipe sensitive data from any laptop and desktop PC.
- Install and launch Stellar File Eraser.
- Click the Erase Files & Folders option.
Stellar File Eraser Home screen with option to erase files and folders
- Add the files and folders you need to erase and click Erase Now to start erasing the data.
The software erases data as per the US Department of Defense standards, guaranteeing permanent data disposal from the old computer with no chances of recovery or misuse. After erasing the data, you can safely dispose of your old computer with total peace of mind.
Why Avoid Deletion & Formatting for Data Disposal?
When disposing of an old computer, you may permanently delete the data, empty the Recycle Bin, format the hard drive, and even do a factory reset in a bid to remove the data. However, you need to be aware that deletion and formatting are not meant for data disposal as they do not wipe or erase the data.
Deletion removes only the addresses of the storage locations where data is stored and marks these locations for fresh use. Likewise, formatting prepares the media for fresh use, and it usually does not remove the data.
In both situations, the data remains in a recoverable state and can be retrieved using a data recovery tool or lab technique. So, you need to rely on data erasure whenever you are planning to dispose of an old laptop or desktop. You can rest assured that your data is gone for good.
