DriveSavers, which specializes in data recovery, eDiscovery and digital forensic solutions, has released a new Cybersecurity white paper about the overlooked risk of third-party data recovery providers.

Authored by the company’s chief information security officer (CISO), Michael Hall, the white paper explores factors in the organizational cost of a data breach (average $7.35 million per breach) and reveals that most of the data recovery industry does not meet best practice standards to ensure data protection through cybersecurity. The paper also provides methods for organizations to vet a third-party data recovery company, including an easy-to-follow checklist.

When a storage device fails or sustains physical damage resulting in data loss, the device must be sent to a third-party data recovery service provider. Company-owned devices often hold security-sensitive information, including intellectual property (IP), financial databases, accounting files, e-mail exchanges and customer records.

“Most data recovery providers do not protect data through cybersecurity processes; therefore, data recovery service providers must be classified as high-risk vendors. If an organization does not perform due diligence before engaging the services of a data recovery vendor, it runs the risk of a data breach that will result in major financial and reputational damage,” says Hall.

The complete white paper is posted at www.drivesavers.com/cybersecurity-and-data-recovery .