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Appropriate Disposal of Data & Computers

Sensitive Information

should be never placed

in the regular trash!

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Appropriate Disposal Methods

Hard copy (paper) materials must be

properly shredded or placed in a secured

bin for shredding later.

Laptops and desktops may need the hard

drive removed and physically destroyed.

Diskettes, tapes and hard drives must be

physically destroyed or “wiped” using

approved procedures.

CD-ROMs and DVDs must be rendered

unreadable by shredding or breaking.

Contact the Information Security Office or refer to the

UNC-Chapel Hill Campus Standards for Electronic Media Disposal

(http://help.unc.edu/6343) for more information.

Section: Appropriate Disposal

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Learning Point # 16

You find a CD ROM in your desk drawer. When

you put it in your computer, it gives you an

error, indicating that the disk unreadable. You

may put the CD ROM into the regular trash

Right?

Wrong! The CD ROM could contain Sensitive Information that may be retrieved by a

criminal. Any electronic media or regular paper waste containing possible Sensitive

Information should never end up in the regular trash. Media containing Sensitive

Information must be shredded or otherwise permanently made unreadable.

Section: Appropriate Disposal