Net Zeros and Ones

CHAPTER 1End of Life for Data

• 1.1 Growth of Data
• 1.2 Managing Data
  • 1.2.1 Discovery
  • 1.2.2 Classification
  • 1.2.3 Risk
• 1.3 Data Loss
  • 1.3.1 Accidenta
  • 1.3.2 Theft
  • 1.3.3 Dumpster Diving
• 1.4 Encryption
• 1.5 Data Discovery
• 1.6 Regulations
• 1.7 Security
• 1.8 Legal Discovery
• 1.9 Data Sanitization
• 1.10 Ecological and Economic Considerations
  • 1.10.1 Ecological
  • 1.10.2 Economic
• 1.11 Summary: Proactive Risk Reduction and Reactive End of Life

Data is like water. It seeps into everything and pours out of every process and device. Every single minute of every day, we create data. Even while we are sleeping, our bank, insurance company, mobile phone, or wristwatch is ticking away, creating records of transactions, our location, our heart rate, even our sleeping patterns. When we are awake, we are creating data in spreadsheets, documents, and every application we interact with online. This book is about finding and erasing data at the end of its useful life, no matter where it is hiding.

There are many reasons to erase data. Preserving privacy is one of them. Your personal records are yours and should not belong to Google or Facebook, even though those companies track your every move online and record it. What about all the data on an old cell phone or computer that you are selling online? How do you ensure everything is securely erased from those devices? Do you connect your phone to a rental car's infotainment system to play your favorite songs or make it easy to call a contact? How do ...