Computer devices are central to any business activity in today’s times. All computer drives and storage devices have one thing in common; the data stored can turn inaccessible due to physical damage to the device, logical damage to the file system and malware attacks. Data loss can lead to huge downtime costs and loss of crucial information. Data Recovery provided a way out of this conundrum.

Data Recovery is a process of retrieving corrupted, damaged and formatted data from files and storage devices. Data can be salvaged from a variety of storage media, including internal and external hard disk drives (HDDs), USB flash drives, magnetic tapes, CDs, DVDs and other electronic devices. Data deleted from storage devices is never lost forever. It lingers around the storage devices and can be recovered with the help of data recovery tools and services. Data recovery tools employ algorithms to scan the storage areas of a device, collect pieces of deleted and formatted files from MBR (master boot record) of the storage device, let the users preview files and subsequently proceed with the actual recovery.

Data loss can be classified into 2 categories, viz. logical and physical. A logical problem takes place when the computer hard drive is in perfect working condition, but data has been lost due to file deletion, drive formatting or some other human errors. A majority of the data loss cases are a result of logical problems, and software solutions can be used to recover files in such cases. Recovery software recovers and repairs data files, databases and corrupted partitions, and restores the existing file formats such as images, documents, videos and compressed files. In the event of extensive damage to the file systems, data retrieval algorithms will usually reconstruct the files. Data recovery softwares for both windows and apple environments, such as R-Studio for Mac, are specifically designed for the Mac OS environment.

A physical problem is a situation whereby the mechanical and electrical components of a drive have been driven out of action by a physical issue. Data is written by actuator arms and stored on hard drive platters spinning at the rate of 800 to 15000 RPM. In the wake of increased demand for storing capacity, manufacturers tend to compress a large amount of data within small hard drive surfaces. This makes the data recovery process complex and time-consuming, and a failure in the actuator arms and platters can extensively damage the stored data. All such devices have to be sent to specialized data recovery services, which execute the data recovery process in clean data recovery rooms and labs. Computers may sometimes give a warning of an impending hard disk failure or a system crash by suddenly rebooting, displaying a blank screen or not recognizing a disk partition and these situations merit immediate attention.

To end, Data recovery should not only be regarded as a solution to an existing issue, but also as a protective measure to pre-empt a problem.

Though it may not look like it, the minute we’re surfing the internet, we open ourselves to identity theft, fraud, and viruses. Now the internet doesn’t sound like as fun of a place as we once thought. But, you can still enjoy surfing the web, instead, you need to take a couple of extra steps to ensure your privacy is protected.

Passwords matter

You’ll hear stories of CEOs of their computers hacked and stripped of their information. The funny part is their passwords are always extremely simple. Using the word ‘password’ as your password isn’t going to cut it. Though this isn’t going to mean you’re completely protected, it will reduce the risk. People get lazy with passwords and usually end up choosing simple ones. Make sure your passwords contain a combination of letters, symbols, and numbers.

Create a secure network

If you ask any computer wiz, they’ll tell you the most important thing is to make sure you’re using a secure network. Without a secure system, you open yourself up to identity theft and privacy invasion. A virtual private network (VPN) ensures all your data is routed through a proxy server, making sure your IP address is protected from hackers. Now, you may be thinking, is VPN safe? And the answer is yes. It’ll hide your original information, making it difficult for people to see your identity.

Check your privacy settings

Most of us never check our privacy settings when we’re using social media platforms such as Facebook or Instagram. However, these public platforms are an excellent place to start when looking into privacy protection. This is because most of the information on these platforms are automatically default to sharing your information publically. The more information you provide to the public, the easier it is to invade your privacy. When using public platforms such as social media, make sure your information is only accessible to your friends and family.

Update your software

No one wants to update their software. It takes too much time, and it can be annoying when you’re in the middle of using your computer. But delaying your software updates can really affect your computer’s security system. The updates are there to fix bugs which could be exploited by hackers. 

Back-up your information

You can do everything suggested above to secure your privacy online, but it doesn’t mean you’re in the clear. The minute you’re connected online, you’re vulnerable. It’s essential you back-up all your information – if you value your data. Whether your computer is hacked, the hard drive broke down, or your laptop was stolen, you’ll still have all your data. You can back-up your data in three ways: cloud storage, external hard drive, or an online backup service.

The internet may seem like a lot of fun, but it’s also a place where you need to keep your eyes open and stay protected. Use these tips to protect your computer and your privacy from hackers.