Which method ensures the greatest security when erasing data that is no longer needed, according to the Hong Kong Office of the Privacy Commissioner?
Which method ensures the greatest security when erasing data that is no longer needed, according to the Hong Kong Office of the Privacy Commissioner?
To ensure the greatest security when erasing data that is no longer needed, crosscut shredding of paper copies is the most effective method. Crosscut shredding slices the paper into small confetti-like pieces, which makes it extremely difficult to reconstruct compared to strip-shredding. Deleting electronic files or reformatting USB memory devices may not adequately prevent data recovery, as these actions do not overwrite the data completely, allowing for potential recovery using specialized software.
Yes, B. See page 2 of the guidance of personal data erasure and anonymisation, issued by the HK office of the privacy commissioner.
Legal Requirements related to Personal Data Erasure Section 26 of the Ordinance provides that a data user must take all practicable steps to erase personal data held when the data is no longer required for the purpose (including any directly related purpose) for which it was used, unless any such erasure is prohibited under any law or it is in the public interest not to have the data erased. Safe and Secure Erasure Guidelines, and in some cases, procedures, should be established on the erasure method to be used for each type of records. The purpose of the erasure is to irreversibly delete or destroy the personal data so that it cannot be recovered. The method used must, therefore, match with the type of storage technology. For example, in the case of paper records, cross-cut shredding should be used instead of strip shredding so that individual sheets cannot be easily reconstructed.