Many individuals consider free data erasing software to be convenient. They are unaware of the dire repercussions of improper data erasure, such as fines, legal action, lost clients, and damaged brand name. By outlining the drawbacks of free data erasing tools and the advantages of paid software, this blog intends to draw attention to these potential risk factors.
Evidently, it is crucial to handle data storage devices safely at the end of their useful lives. Any organization’s growth could be hampered by data theft if illegal data wiping techniques are used or if free data cleaning software is used. Free data erasing software may not cost anything, but it is assured that sensitive data remnants are left behind. Are you willing to compromise the value of your brand in order to obtain free data erasing software in order to save some money? Is it prudent to take the chance of recycling or reselling IT assets without any evidence or record of data erasure? Definitely not!
You must completely wipe or erase the data from your computer or hard drive before selling or discarding it in order to keep it safe. Data eraser software is the most effective approach to fully delete all data from a hard drive. Therefore, if you’re seeking for a data erasing tool, the internet has a wide variety of both free and commercial tools. While free data eraser applications are effective for their intended function, they have less features than commercial tools. The distinctions between free and commercial data erasing software will be discussed in this blog.
Here are some significant differences between free and paid data erasing software to help you decide which is best for your business.
Data eraser Software: Free vs. Paid
| Parameter | Free Data Eraser Software | Paid Data Eraser Software |
| Eraser of All Data | Free tool might not completely erase all data. Free tools also don’t adhere to media sanitization norms or international data deletion regulations. | Permanent data erasure is carried out by BitRaser without leaving any trace. It complies with 24 international data erasure standards, including those from the DoD and NIST. NIST and other international organisations test it for its wiping effectiveness. |
| Effectiveness | Free tools might not be able to find and remove hidden sections like HPA or DCO from discs. | On hard discs and SSDs, the BitRaser data eraser utility permanently deletes data from remapped and buried sectors. |
| Complete Erasure Report | No report or certificate of data erasure is produced by free data eraser tools. | BitRaser produces an in-depth report on data erasure. |
| Certification for Data Wiping | A free utility just offers one message, indicating that the data has been erased. | For audit trails, BitRaser creates a tamper-proof certificate that may be downloaded in PDF format. |
| Accuracy | Free tools are not accurate and precise. | Data from storage devices is permanently erased by BitRaser. |
| Functionality | Free tools are unable to delete RAID servers or check the health of drives due to a lack of features and capability. Additionally, they don’t support HexViewer for disc sector data wiping verification. | Data from RAID servers is deleted by BitRaser, which also checks the drive’s condition. Additionally, HexViewer is supported for disc sector data wiping verification. |
| Customer Support | Free tools are not accompanied by customer service. | BitRaser offers customer service around-the-clock. |
Effects of Unsafe Wiping with FREE Tools on Risk
In addition to the reasons highlighted in the table above for why a company should use trustworthy data eraser software, you may want to consider the negative effects and dangers of hazardous free data erasure tools:
Downtime in operations
Software that is available for free download invites hostile assaults and data breach situations. Such occurrences necessitate thorough investigations. The majority of businesses experience an unanticipated period of total stoppage of operations while the investigation is ongoing. Depending on the seriousness of the data breach or intrusion, the procedure can take days, weeks, or even months. Additionally, it has a significant negative impact on the company’s revenue and stock market value.
Use a reputable data erasure programme like BitRaser, which ensures that each device is permanently erased using international data erasure standards, to avoid these problems. In the reports and certificates that the software generates, the chain of custody, device model, unique ID, serial number of the device, and other details are also recorded. The cloud repository makes it easy to find old records whenever you need them.
Advantages of BitRaser Software
You should select BitRaser data erasure software for the reasons listed below:
- Bulk Erasure: Using a centralised panel to oversee and monitor the erasure process and preserve reports, the software erases numerous devices or drives across a local area network.
- Data erasure that is secure and certified: Data from HDDs, SSDs, PCs, laptops, servers, and mobile devices can be safely erased using BitRaser Data Eraser. It creates a certificate that is 100 percent tamper-proof and guarantees adherence to international data protection laws like GLBA, EU-GDPR, HIPAA, and SOX.
- Compliance with regulations: In order to comply with various international data protection laws, BitRaser Data Eraser securely deletes data and creates a tamper-proof certificate of erasure. It supports 24 data erasure standards, such as DoD 3 and 7 passes, HMG, and NIST 800-88.
- Integration of the cloud: The BitRaser Data Eraser software gives customers the freedom to be created, manage licence distribution, and keep track of reports and certifications in one place.
The blog discusses the main distinctions between free and paid data erasing software. The best option for secure and permanent data erasure is to use a paid data eraser application like BitRaser. This software creates reports and certificates of the wiping process and supports numerous international data erasure standards. It is the ideal instrument to reduce the risk of data breaches and to satisfy legal and regulatory requirements.
