Beware of data dumpster divers
Trashing an old PC with sensitive data on the hard drive can be almost as bad as leaving it out on the pavement in terms of data security.
Even e-recycling programs sometimes don't take proper precautions to ensure the computer leaves its original owner with no private information intact. The best recyclers will erase a PC's hard drive or, better yet, crush it before it moves on to its next destination.
Some 30 percent of businesses in the UK leave data, some of it sensitive, on their PCs when they dispose of them, according to research findings released this week by computer maker Lenovo.