The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) has introduced the Standard for Sanitizing Storage to address data security concerns.<\/p>\n
According to the Circular Drive Initiative (CDI), 90% of storage drives are destroyed due to data breaches. So the standard offers a three-tier approach namely; erasing data, purging through overwriting, and physically destroying drives. However, the CDI cautions against relying on physical destruction methods alone, as skilled hackers can retrieve data from small platters.<\/p>\n
While cloud service providers focus data leak prevention, there is an opposing viewpoint that promotes sustainability and secure reuse. In the previous fiscal year, Seagate, a CDI member, repaired and sold 1.16 million hard disk drives (HDDs) and solid-state drives (SSDs), saving almost 540 tons of electronic trash from landfills.<\/p>\n
The reconditioned drives are subjected to rigorous testing and recertification processes, according to Amy Zuckerman, Seagate’s sustainability and transformation director. They come with a fresh five or seven-year guarantee to assure dependability. These drives are primarily intended for smaller data centers and cryptocurrency mining operations. While the precise number of refurbishments a drive may receive is unknown, Seagate strives for double usage to enhance its longevity.<\/p>\n
Hard drives are dismantled to save valuable pieces when restoration is not possible, and the remaining raw materials are recycled to reduce waste.<\/p>\n