In continuation with the theme of the past few blog posts about information security when disposing of old equipment, it is important to recognize that you need to keep your data secure even if your machine is shut down and not being used.

According to Tech Republic, “Remember that even volatile RAM can serve as a “storage device” for sensitive data under limited conditions. Ultimately, you should just adopt an attitude of practical paranoia about sensitive data storage and act accordingly.

Don’t fall into the trap of meticulously securing your running systems, then getting compromised or having sensitive data recovered because you didn’t put any thought into securing the systems slated for disposal. The need for good security practice doesn’t go away when you turn off the computer.”

If you have any questions about information security, contact Marcus Networking at 602.427.5027.

Source: Chad Perrin, Tech Republic. (April 21, 2011). “10 things you should do to securely dispose of computers”.