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Subject:
Re: Permanent deletion of files from mobile storage devices
From:
Larry Medina <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Records Management Program <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Thu, 19 Sep 2013 11:33:08 -0700
Content-Type:
text/plain
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text/plain (44 lines) 
I'm a bit confused at the use of the term "mobile storage devices" here -
from everything I've read, you're essentially talking about expendable,
removable media... even in the case of USB drives, unless you're talking
about multi-100s of GB drives.

When I saw the reference to 'devices', I'm thinking smartphones, etc that
store information and can be connected to systems remotely and manipulate
that information, not media.

As others have said, in the case of "media", even thumb drives, if they're
going to be completely physically destroyed... I wouldn't bother having
individuals expend the effort to evaluate and review the content and then
directly delete it before destroying the media.  And in the case of
writeable CDs and DVDs, (unless they're re-writeable), you CAN'T REMOVE the
content.

Same is true with many USB thumb (and other) drives- you have to connect
them to the system the files were burned from to allow the data on the
device to be accessed and "manipulated", which is why in many cases you
have a 16gb thumb drive that you've 'deleted' the content from, but when
you try to write to it, it says it's full.  Unless you reformat the drive,
or use a disk recovery application, you can't use it's full capacity again.

I understand you're saying you're up against an existing policy that needs
to be re-written and you don't wan to expend the time/effort to do that...
but it seems to me it would make more sense for ONE PERSON to spend the
time re-writing the policy (or for someone with authority to SUSPEND the
policy) rather than for everyone in the organization to be required to
spend the time/effort to comply with a policy that is out of sync and
doesn't make sense.

Larry
[log in to unmask]

-- 
*Lawrence J. Medina
Danville, CA
RIM Professional since 1972*

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