By: Glenn Laga, Founder & President, Guardian Data Destruction

There’s only one reason to choose data erasure instead of other types of eData destruction: to retain and reuse the hard drive for:

• remarketing or revalue
• redeployment (onsite or elsewhere)
• lease return
• replacement stock unavailable
• post-data migration
• data center closure

​When there are hard drive shortages or the hard drive is still needed, the only option for 100% data destruction is erasure. Whether it’s a one-pass NIST or three-pass DOD wipe, erasure is the only certified sanitization process that allows the hard drive to be used again.

Hard drive data erasure services best practices

Wiping entire drives is performed by data destruction software programs that overwrite every divisible part of the drive. Complete data destruction by erasure requires software that meets the compliance protocol that your security, compliance and legal team have set. Third-party data destruction providers with NAID AAA certification ensure the highest level of training, security, knowledge and compliance in erasure services.

Related: Understand the value of NAID AAA Certifications

Data erasure for any hard drive?

With so many sizes, quantities, form factors, configurations and locations, the expense of erasure is typically offset by the opportunity for reuse instead of replacement. Whether it’s a laptop, desktop, enterprise data equipment, copiers, erasure of hard disk drives (HDD) and solid-state drives (SSD) is always possible. 

• Laptops and Desktops
  Instead of formatting a disk or deleting files, wipe away all files and rest easy knowing that the hard drive can be safely reused and be in compliance with government regulations and data protection laws.

• Enterprise Data Erasure 
  Exceedingly more complex than laptops and desktops, manufacturer designs, configurations, data center environments, operating systems and access can make locating and erasing hard drives in data centers a challenge. 

• Remote Workforce
  Erase hard drives via the cloud before shipping to reduce the risk of a security breach due to a lost computer with live data. Combine remote erasure with a self-pack program to get a managed, secure process to retrieve home-based assets.

• Other 
  Devices like printers, copiers, kiosks, scanners and even vehicles have hard drives or SSD drives storing sensitive company information. Yes, erase them!

Guardian’s data erasure services are always secure, compliant and absolute

Erasure is a proven method in the prevention of a data breach and the best way to retain value for all your assets. Unless you’re in an industry that doesn’t legally allow for hard drive erasure instead of shredding, Guardian provides the same security protocols and processes for erasure as we do for shredding:

• Our erasure technicians use the wiping software of your choice to meet the protocols and standards set by compliance and IT: Blancco, Extreme Protocol Solutions, KillDisk, WhiteCanyon and BitRaser.
• We’re NAID AAA Certified and lead eData destruction initiatives within the i-SIGMA organization
• Our chain of custody process including signature hand-offs, full documentation and certificate of erasure with full reporting are unmatched in accuracy and turnaround
• Guardian’s full range of services – full data center decommissioning, lift and shift, auditing, packing and logistics, inventory validation and reconciliation – means a single vendor and single point of contact for small or complex jobs.
• Our preparation results in fewer surprises. We bring a full set of protocols, tools, cables and IT inroads to access and then erase any server, storage device or drive.
• Our experience means that we expect the unusual and look for it. Add-on drives, inaccessible, non-audited hard drives and SSD drives on motherboards are just a few situations we’re on the lookout for.
• Guardian’s trained technicians are accustomed to working in live, active environments. We follow your security protocols to ensure that downtime and interruptions are minimized during data destruction procedures.
• Guardian always includes a second data destruction alternative with racking for hard disks that fail the data erasure process.
• Our nationwide service hubs give us the flexibility to be just about anywhere while providing a singular, defined process for every facility making recordkeeping and tracing that much easier.
• Our range of data erasure services by device ensures that you’ll have a single provider for any erasure need or asset.

Any device, any size, any location or any disposition plan

Talk to us if you’re looking for secure methods of preserving your hard drives and preserving your data security. Our goal is to give you the options that give you the optimal bottom-line solution that is absolute, secure and compliant.

Guardian erasure options abound Remote Erasure, Enterprise Erasure, Hard Drive Erasure, Copier/Kiosk/Misc Device Erasure.

All our data destruction options>

We can help you find a VAR or ITAD>
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Learn more about: Enterprise Erasure, Hard Drive Erasure, Kiosk Disposition, Remote Erasure

By: Joseph Imperato, Sr., Partner,
XSolutions Consulting Services, LLC

I came across an interesting article in BleepingComputer recently. In 2021, over 300,000 instances of databases were exposed on the web. So far in Q1 2022, the same researchers found 91,000+ exposures. So do the math—2022 promises to be worse.

The primary reason for these incidents—misconfiguration.

Criminals actively scan for accessible databases. In some cases, they’ll discover your data within 24 hours of being posted.

Organizations Must Take Responsibility

The first question to ask is, should the information be on the internet in the first place? If so, then take these protective measures:

• Only knowledgeable technicians should configure Databases
• Give access to only those that need it
• Monitor at all times
• Use strong authentication
• Use encryption
• Close instances after each session

Conclusion

The GDPR in Europe and recent State regulations have tightened privacy controls. Fines can be heavy. Non-compliance is not an option.

The bottom line: secure your databases!
​
XSolutions is an IT Services Provider serving New York (NY), New Jersey (NJ), and Connecticut (CT). We provide Managed IT Services | Managed IT Security | Backup & Disaster Recovery| Cloud Data Protection | Security Awareness Training. Call (845) 362-9675 for a free consultation.

By: Fuel Your Way NJ
​
More than 75 gas stations throughout New Jersey lowered their prices on Friday to demonstrate how much motorists could save if the state offered the option of self-serve gas.
 
The Fuel Your Way NJ Self-Serve Day of Awareness is part of campaign to educate the public about how much they could potentially save if the “Motorist Fueling Choice and Convenience Act,” were enacted.
 
The legislation, which was introduced in the state Assembly in February, would allow gas stations the option of offering self-serve, while still requiring stations with more than four dispensers to continue to offer full-service gas pumps, giving consumers the option to pump their own gas if they wish.
 
“With the cost of gas prices continuing to rise, it’s taking a bigger and bigger bite out of people’s wallets,” said Sal Risalvato of Fuel Your Way NJ. “We want the public to know that one of the quickest ways we can reduce gas prices is to allow gas stations the ability to offer self-serve in New Jersey.”
 
Motorists who pull into participating gas stations will also be handed a facsimile of a $100 bill during the next several weeks with the message that they could save $100 to $400 per year if the state allowed self-serve. Motorists will be encouraged to contact their representatives demanding passage of the legislation.
 
Gas stations will also display a sign next to pumps that have been closed with the message: “This pump would be open if New Jersey allowed self-serve fueling.”
 
Risalvato said gas stations are having difficulty hiring staff to fully man all their pumps. As a result, motorist are often inconvenienced when they are forced to wait in long lines for the few pumps that are open.
 
The legislation, A3105, is sponsored by Assembly members Carol Murphy, Ned Thomson and Annette Chaparro. A companion bill has not been introduced yet in the Senate.
 
A recent Monmouth University Poll found that a majority of New Jerseyans support self-serve gas as long as stations maintained a full-service option. More than 2 in 3 told pollsters they would pump their own gas if given the option and they would save money.
 
“The legislation gives motorists a choice of self-serve while they can continue to receive full-serve, which is exactly what New Jerseyans say they want,” Risalvato said. “But the legislature won’t pass this bill unless they hear from constituents. If you support self-serve choice, speak up. Contact your legislators and let them know.”

By: CohnReznick

The gaming industry has seen accelerant growth over the past decade, as not only a source of entertainment but also a social outlet and a leader in innovation. And with its massive audience and promising underlying technologies, that growth is likely to continue.


Amid these strides in innovation, popularity, and revenue generation, the gaming industry has attracted much more interest from venture capital (VC) firms, private equity (PE) shops, and strategic buyers. According to PitchBook data, 2021 was a record year for gaming companies across several investment metrics.

This new report, produced in collaboration with PitchBook, gives an in-depth look at the U.S. gaming market from the VC, PE, and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) perspectives, with sections including:
​

• Private market gaming – Trends in deal activity
• Gaming and the venture capital market
• Private equity and corporate transactions
• Gaming by the numbers: Median VC deal value and pre-money valuation, top deals, and most active dealmakers since 2012
• Plus, a Q&A with CohnReznick’s Alex Castelli, Asael Meir, and Natalie Tronkina

Click here to get a copy of the report.