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Deleting files on your computer sends them to the recycle bin. Eventually you delete them and they're gone. The information's been removed from your computer, right?. Well, not really. That information has simply been moved around to a part of your computer where you don't see it. If needed, you or someone else can recover those files. Someone with malicious intentions could also recover the files. When deleting information that isn't very important, say an old shortcut from your desktop, regular deletion is enough. However, when handling sensitive information, files need to be securely deleted. What follows are technical instructions on how to securely delete files. This is not an official University policy. For questions about Confidential Records Destruction, please refer to this page. If you have questions about what sensitive information you should have or about secure deletion policy, please contact your Frontline Support Provider.
Securely Destroying Data
When you no longer need to keep sensitive information, it should be securely destroyed. If the data is considered Personal Information under Massachusetts law once it is no longer needed it must be securely destroyed such that it cannot be read and cannot be recovered by any reasonable means. Additionally, you must destroy sensitive data if the physical device is leaving your care (e.g. to be transferred to a different department, to be donated to an outside organization, or to be sent back to the original vendor). If you decide that you need to destroy data securely, consider the recommendations below.
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