How do I dispose of data containing SSN stored on a computer?
Using the DELETE button on your computer does not really delete data from your hard drive; it deletes the entry in the hard drive’s record of the physical location of the data. You must use an approved data deletion program to delete the data by overwriting it with random characters at least 7 times (Department of Defense standard for secure data deletion). If the computer is destined for surplus using established University procedures, this procedure is already performed on all hard drives before they are submitted for surplus.
