Smash Your Hard Drives!!!
Throw down your mouse and grab your toolbox as Which? Computing has a hands-on approach to making sure all information is removed from your hard drive. The Computer Magazine wants to raise the awareness of the risks involved in disposing of your old PC without thinking about all the data still recoverable from the hard drive – and most valuable to an identity thief. There are many a case of identity theft caused by the seemingly safe disposal of a PC, as readily available software can easily recover deleted files which the user presumes are gone forever. Which? cites the case of a Mr. Skipworth (possibly not his real name) who was advised by Mesh Computers that his faulty hard drive would be wiped of all information before being sent back to the manufacturer. Only a little while later Skipworth found he was being blackmailed by a man in Latvia who had got hold of some of his most personal information, and sent him one of his most personal photos to show he meant business. This goes to show that even the computer companies don’t always realise the risks involved in hard drive wiping, as it is not 100 percent effective - either that or they don't actually care. Most identity thieves of this kind trawl through the local council tips looking for old PCs, the less brassic may buy their hard drives from auction sites such as Ebay. The information gathered from this kind of foraging could lead to duplicate credit card manufacture, applications for birth certificates or as in Skipworth’s case, good old-fashioned blackmail. So what is to be done about this problem we here you cry – well Which?’s solution is simple, grab a hammer and smash the living daylights out of your hard drive. This is no joke, according to Sarah Kidner, Editor at Which? Computing, “PCs contain more valuable personal information than ever as people increasingly shop online, use social networking sites and take digital photos. It sounds extreme, but the only way to be 100 per cent safe is to smash your hard drive into smithereens.” You may get carted off to the looney bin when your wife comes home and finds you laying into your PC, but at least your data will be safe."
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Yarrr Mateys have a rum and relax. Need some help ? Post in the Proper Disscusion!!! And Start ur own Thread PLS!!!
ALWAYS REMEMBER USE OR LOADING OF FILES IS ALWAYS AT YOUR OWN RISK!!
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01-08-2009, 02:29 PM
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