AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – ‘Tis the year for new electronics — but when it is time to toss out or trade in your old tech, how do you do it properly to safeguard your information? Our I-Staff took your questions to the gurus.

Hoping Santa brings you anything smarter than an etch-a-sketch this 12 months? Properly before you toss, market, or trade that old tech cyber security professionals have a word of advice.

“The very first detail they want to do when they want to purchase a new a person or trade their units is to get rid of their data the right way and thoroughly,” explained Dr. Hoda Maleki, Assistant Professor for Laptop or computer and Cyber Science, Augusta University.

And effectively — does not suggest just resetting your machine to manufacturing facility configurations.

“So when you do a manufacturing facility reset, the actual knowledge is not becoming removed. It is even now there,” mentioned Maleki.

Which can make spots like eBay and Fb Market a goldmine for hackers to get your old things and mine it for its information. So what are you meant to do?

“Based on the DOD advice, the greatest way is to override the information 7 times. At minimum seven situations. Then ruin it physically,” she explained.

And that goes for tablets, smartphones, laptops, even good TV’s.

To overwrite the info you run a file eraser software on your machine or its really hard drive. You can Google the distinctive selections but long term eraser is a great one for Macs, eraser is excellent for Home windows. Style in ‘7′ when it asks you how quite a few periods you want to overwrite your data files. And be client — it will choose several hours.

“The greatest way is to take out the components set it on a new pc and use that pc to erase whatsoever details fully on the hardware,” stated Maleki.

But even that does not make your device or your details hacker-proof.

If you really have sensitive data — lender facts, HIPPA documents, regardless of what is value taking an extra move to defend you have to have electrical power resources.

“After you erase it, it’s very best to both hammer it or drill it. The most effective way is to drill it a lot more than a single location. The greatest they say is 4 details,” she said.

And the specialists say it could be tempting, but never reduce corners, and skip ahead to this aspect.

“This is superior, but make certain…