Is Your Computer Leasing Company Responsible for Data Security?

Of course, you know it is in your best interest to protect the personal information of your customers [as well as your own business ' marketing, business development plans, proprietary information, etc.] However, the company you're leasing your computer from most likely isn't, nor has to be, as concerned as you are. While ideally the computer leasing company would employ a secure method to purge the computer of any personal information found on the hard drive when it is returned, many companies are not taking these proper measures to do so. Much to the surprise of anyone who doesn't read the terms of the lease very carefully, the language of most standard computer lease agreements would suggest that the entity leasing the computer is responsible for removing any personal or proprietary information from the hard drive ' and merely dragging and dropping in the trash can or deleting the files DOES NOT accomplish this task. As any computer expert will tell you, information that has been deleted can still be found on the machine's hard drive.

As leasing companies typically resell the returned equipment back into the international marketplace, if not properly and thoroughly audited and erased (not just reformatted), they could be exposing tremendous risk to corporations and consumers since the hard drive data can be easily reconstructed with readily available software from the Internet. Again, sensitive hard drive data that could otherwise be reconstructed includes bank account information, social security numbers, health records, customer records and the like. That is why it's your responsibility to employ a tool that provides a tested and guaranteed means to purge your leased equipment of both yours and your customers' personal information.