We always get the user’s feedback with questions concerning the usage of the background file wiping feature of our Shred Agent, asking whenever it is reasonable or not, and whenever analogous programs have this feature or not. That is why AKS-Labs has asked the independent software expert to review and compare 10 most popular shredders, including the Shred Agent itself.
Click to read the comparative review of 10 file shredders.
In today’s workplace, it’s impossible to eliminate mobile computing devices — laptops, thumb drives, mobile phones, PDAs and iPods. However, “since California enacted a data breach notification law in 2002 (followed by 32 other states), there have been a host of embarrassing disclosures about missing computers”.
About half of the states’ breach-reporting laws give companies a way to avoid disclosing such breaches: the use of encryption on the mobile devices.
But encrypting data on mobile systems isn’t a simple task. CIOs and CISOs have found that while the technology to encrypt laptop hard drives is pretty straightforward and simple to deploy, there are several aspects of mobile security for which technology is not yet solid, particularly for protecting data on removable media and handheld devices. That’s why security leaders who have adopted encryption make sure to use other techniques — both technological and managerial — to protect their mobile data.
The first decision when implementing an encryption strategy is whether to use full-disk encryption or file-based encryption. Although most operating systems have built-in file encryption tools, this approach has a significant security flaw: It relies on users putting files in the encrypted folders.
The other option is full-disk encryption, which protects everything on the hard drive. The latest disk-encryption solutions are easy to use and are not likely to slow down performance. “Several companies — including PGP, Pointsec and GuardianEdge Technologies — provide enterprise-class full-disk encryption software that can be installed and managed using standard tools, and that works with backup software and password management systems.”
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Data encryption is important for the security of stored data. However, it is also important to use secure file removal applications. If the sensitive data was deleted from laptop or PC using unsecure operations, it can still be recovered. To protect your deleted data, you need to use specific file wiping tools.
This blog is run by authors of Shred Agent and QuickWiper.
Junk mail is more than irritating. In fact, it’s increasing your risk of identity theft.
For instance, you have a check from Household Bank in your junk email and it’s probably not a check for anything you’re actually participating in. This is more of a solicitation, and if you cash it they hold you responsible. The problem is what happens if you don’t get it and somebody else does.
If that happens, it would be very easy for a criminal to cash the check, and you’d be on the hook for the money until you cleared up the problem with the bank. And speaking of banks, most of us are inundated with pre-approved credit card offers. Even without your Social Security number, a crook could use these applications to obtain a credit card in your name.
All they really have to do it get this fill those in and use them and you’re going to be on the hook for whatever amount they wrote the check for. You could also face legal trouble if the checks bounce and the vendors file a complaint with the local prosecutor.
To protect yourself, you can contact the credit bureaus and tell them to stop the pre-approved credit offers, and you can contact the Direct Marketing Association and have them put you on their no junk mail list.
But it is much more important to use secure email deletion to reduce the risk of identity theft. Shredding your junk email allows you to save a lot of time and money by ensuring your email will not be used for malicious goals.
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This blog is run by authors of Shred Agent and QuickWiper.
If you watched a “Prison Break” movie then you might remember scene when hard disk was taken from the river and 60% of data was recovered. Let’s list some ideas about how to secure your hard disk:
1) Don’t give out (through away) a hard disk with valuable data;
2) The best way to destroy data is to drill your hard disk or break it completely;
3) If you don’t have a drill or you want to use something safer… then you should use file shredder;
File shredders
You will need two functions in file shredder - wiping free space and wiping files; Wiping free disk space is necessary to make previously deleted data irrecoverable, wiping files makes it impossible to recover files that you delete.
What is good file shredder? It’s secure, it don’t need you action, it wipes even temporary and cached files. In this case consider using background mode file shredder.
Finally, keep your files in secure place!
This blog is run by authors of Shred Agent and QuickWiper