Did you know that when you delete something on your computer (or printer), in most cases it’s not really gone?
If this is news to you, here’s a non-technical breakdown: when you tell your computer to “delete” a file, what actually happens under the hood is that your computer takes your instructions and says, “OK, I understand that you no longer need this file. I’ll stop showing it to you and use the space it was taking up for something else.”
Let’s dig into that a bit more:
What Happens When You Delete a File?
Basically, the file doesn’t simply disappear. The computer just thinks of that file as free space on the storage drive that it can use up at a later time. Until the file overwritten by something else—documents, pictures, videos, and so on—the file is actually still sitting on your hard drive.
This is how file recovery programs work. When you delete something by accident and use a file recovery program to retrieve it, the file can often be “brought back” because it hadn’t been overwritten by something else yet.
Since the majority of modern printers have onboard storage, this can work on a printer too. That’s nice if you’re the one doing the file retrieval, but what if an unauthorized person wanted to access your deleted documents, such as customer data or personal correspondence? As you can imagine, it wouldn’t be terribly difficult for someone with even a modicum of technical acumen.
If this sounds like a security nightmare to you, don’t worry. Xerox has a NIST-approved solution…
Delete Your Files for Good With Xerox On Demand Image Overwrite
In order to really delete your files, you can enable a Xerox feature called on demand image overwrite.
(Note that this has nothing to do with images as in pictures—“image” in this context is a technical term referring to the disk image, basically just the files on the storage device.)
This feature will overwrite a file after you delete it with “junk” data. In fact, it overwrites it three times, called a three pass overwrite. Fun fact, the Department of Defense recommends a three pass algorithm, and they probably know what they’re doing. So, if you’ve been following along, you can probably guess that after this process, anyone trying to retrieve the file won’t be able to find anything (including you, so make sure you’re positive you want the file to really be gone).
This is a huge security benefit for anyone who deals with even slightly sensitive or confidential information.
How you’ll enable on demand image overwrite depends on your model of printer. For instructions specific to your Xerox model, first find your MFP on the official Xerox support page. Then search for “overwrite” or “image overwrite.”
Check this official Xerox document (PDF link) to find out if your MFP supports on demand image overwrite.
Learn More About Xerox MFP Features or Get Your Own
The on demand image overwrite function is very useful, but it barely scratches the surface of some of the really impressive things a modern Xerox multifunction printer can do for your workspace.
Take a look at some of these other posts we’ve written to get a better (but still far from complete!) idea of how Xerox products can improve your workflows:
- 7 Jaw-Dropping Features You Didn’t Know Your Xerox Printer Had
- How to Print Sensitive Documents in a Busy Office (And Other Cool Printer Tricks)
- Enhance Your Professionalism and Get Big Results With These 3 Small Printing Tips
All businesses have different requirements and usage scenarios for their office equipment—that’s why our team of experts would like to get to know yours so that we can connect you with the best and most affordable Xerox equipment for your unique needs. Feel free to visit us in Phoenix, Flagstaff, or Lake Havasu. You can also request a completely free online quote or get in touch with us today via email or by dropping us a line on Facebook.
