A study sponsored by Sims Lifecycle Services and carried out by the forensic computer laboratory of Glamorgah in Wales and Edith Cowan University in Wales and Edith Cowan University in Australia has revealed 34% of discarded hard drives still contain confidential data.

•        A disk bought on eBay revealed details of test launch procedures for the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defence) ground to air missile defence system, including security policies, blueprints of facilities and personal information on employees.

Kumar Radhakrishnan of Sims Recycling Solutions, who provide secure data destruction as part of their global electronic asset recovery business said:  “it is clear from the sensitive information revealed by this study that a wide range of organisations, businesses and individuals all over the world are failing in their duty to properly manage sensitive data when their IT equipment passes outside of their control.

It is vital to realise that residual data can still be accessed years after the equipment has been discarded and in the wrong hands could have not only financial consequences but potential implications for national security.