Irish people are unaware of the security risks involved in disposing of old computer equipment, according to a new survey.
An examination of disk drives sold into the second-hand market revealed an alarming security gap, with credit card details and other personal information easily accessible, the survey found.
One in four of the disks recovered contained detailed credit card information, security firm Rits Pondera found, and more than half contained personal details such as names, addresses, bank details and PPS numbers.
The firm analysed 26 used disk drives purchased in stores or on auction sites. It was able to access 300 credit card numbers from one computer used by an organisation involved in fundraising for a large charity event.
It also extracted customer data from a major bank and a mobile phone company, and case data from a leading employment law firm.
Almost half the drives contained pornographic images, mostly on drives used in the corporate sector.
"As a nation we do very little to protect our personal information and the nature of the information we leave on our computers is alarming," commented Rits managing director Jim Duncan.
"Simply pressing the delete button on your computer or formatting a drive does not erase the information which is already there - it only makes it slightly more difficult to access.
"Criminals can acquire simple tools through the internet to assist in obtaining this information."
Mr Duncan says anyone selling on a computer or disposing of it for recycling should overwrite the information on it effectively.
Organisations have stringent data protection obligations and must operate a secure disposal policy.
