New Cyber Security Mailing List
Newsletter with tips and stategies to stay safe
The City of Seattle's Office of Information Security (OIS) has setup a new computer security mailing list. We will post a periodic newsletter with cyber security tips and strategies to keep you safe on your work and home computers. We'll also send out notices of critical new threats and information on how to protect yourselves.

If you would like to sign up for this new service, please click on the following link and then create a New User account.   
Computer Security Mailing List

New Security Tip O' d'Week!

Clean up before donating or recycling your PC

It's important to wipe personal data from your PC before donating, recycling or giving it away.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, more than 250 million computers will become obsolete in the next five years. Many will end up in landfills. Tossing a computer out with the trash is a bad idea for two reasons. Not only does a computer store personal and financial information that people do not want getting into the hands of ID thieves, but it also is composed of heavy metals and toxins that are extremely hazardous to the environment.

Before the computer leaves your home, you should be sure you've erased the hard drive completely. Any computer forensics expert will tell you that deleted files are not really deleted. You have to take other steps to truly wipe all your personal information.

There are several free software programs available for download online that will erase (or wipe) information effectively enough to prevent ID theft. Also, many operating systems and some anti-virus software already come with a wiping feature. (Keep in mind that data on personal computers is never completely erased and the only way to completely wipe out information is to physically destroy the hard drive.)

There also are recycling services that will take old computers and either refurbish them or take them apart and dispose of the non-valuable pieces properly. As with any purchase or donation, the Better Business Bureau encourages people to be informed consumers. They should ask questions. When donating the computer, people should ask how the charity will erase the hard drive and protect their identity. Are they bonded? Are they accredited by the BBB? Will they provide you with an affidavit that all data has been wiped from the donated drive? In the Seattle area there are several well qualified computer recyclers. Contact your local government sponsored recycling center for recommendations.