As computer hackers continue to become more savvy and consumer information more valuable, data security has become one of the most sensitive and important issues for government and business leaders alike.

Maintaining electronic files of personal and financial data can put any organization at risk of a severe security breach. While most corporations take measures to protect data on systems in use, options for preventing data leaks on retired computers are limited. Because of the high costs for labor and software involved in sanitizing hard drives in-house, many corporations choose to outsource this function to third party vendors, requiring the transportation of computers -- along with all the data they contain -- to the disposal site. Unfortunately, the incidence of data security breaches while computers are being moved from one facility to another -- either through theft or loss -- is on the rise.

To help companies minimize this risk, CSI Leasing has developed a new software utility called DriveProtector to help protect computers in transit or storage from data security breaches. DriveProtector is designed to "lock down" a computer hard drive before it leaves the customer's site. Depending on the type of install the customer chooses, it will cause the hard drive to either appear blank, or prevent the operating system from loading without a password.

DriveProtector is the first step in CSI's SecureTrack data security process, offered free as a standard part of CSI's leasing programs. Upon arrival at CSI's facility, a strict chain of custody is enforced, with equipment secured in a limited access cage for audit. All PC's, laptops, and Intel-based servers are then sanitized with a triple-pass overwrite procedure modeled after U.S. Department of Defense standards. Data sanitization certificates complete the process, giving customers the audit trail they need to comply with state and federal laws.

"Our customers take data security very seriously. For them, DriveProtector is a valuable solution because it keeps their data safe from the time they de-install a machine to the time we sanitize the hard drive," said Jonathan Zigman, vice president of market development. "This software provides a simple but reliable solution to a real problem that most companies and organizations face."