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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.
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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.
Digital Data
Either digital data must be overwritten with random data, or the physical media on which it is stored must be destroyed (or both). In either case, the data must be rendered unreadable and unrecoverable before destruction is considered complete.
Stored Data
You can use IdentityFinder to find and 'shred' sensitive data. This will overwrite the file with random data and then erase it from the filesystem. You can also use the free and open-source Eraser tool to securely erase files or to securely erase all the free space on a drive.
Physical Media
Hard drives, DVDs, and other physical media that contain sensitive information must be either fully wiped (e.g. with DBAN) or destroyed. You should always remove hard drives and wipe or destroy them if they will be leaving your care. You can also deliver the media to UITSC in TAB to have UIT destroy it. For information about hard drive destruction at Tufts, contact your Information Steward.
Copiers
Some copiers, scanners, and printers may keep internal copies of the pages that have been printed or scanned by the machine. Konika Minolta-managed copiers provide a wipe function that overwrites the entire drive sector by sector. If you manage a copier, you must use this function to wipe the drive before it leaves your care. For assistance, contact Purchasing to have the service provider remove and wipe the hard drive for you.
Other Devices
Printers and other devices may have hard drives in them as well. If it is possible that sensitive information has ever passed through these devices, the hard drive should be removed and erased or destroyed (in consultation with the equipment's vendor, if appropriate) before sending the hardware away or disposing of it. If the hard drive is not easily accessible, contact the vendor to request that they remove the hard drive and give it to you to securely erase.
Physical Data
For small volumes of data on paper, you can purchase and install a cross-cut shredder for a few hundred dollars. For larger volumes, please contact your Information Steward to work towards a shredding service.
Recovering Deleted Files
There are many tools available for recovering files which have been deleted from your computer. If you securely deleted the files, you will not be able to recover them. One tool which you can download is Recuva. Once you have downloaded the application, you can use it to search your computer for files you have already deleted.
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