Certified Media & Data Destruction in Brazil¶
Media destruction is the process of permanently eliminating data stored on devices such as hard drives, SSDs, backup tapes and smartphones — either through verified logical sanitization (secure erasure) or through physical destruction of the device. InteSys performs the process with per-serial-number tracking, a documented chain of custody and a certificate of destruction: the evidence your organization needs for audits and for Brazil's data protection law (LGPD).
Last updated October 2026.
Beyond eliminating the data, InteSys buys the IT equipment your company is replacing — with on-site pickup, nationwide across Brazil. One operation covers data, disposal and resale.
Request a destruction quote · Get my equipment valued
Formatting is not destruction¶
Formatting a drive, deleting partitions or performing a factory reset does not erase the data: the information remains on the device and can be recovered with free tools. When a corporate computer, server or phone leaves your company without sanitization, the data leaves with it — contracts, customer records, credentials, payroll.
Brazil's General Data Protection Law (Law No. 13,709/2018, LGPD) requires, under Article 16, the deletion of personal data once processing ends. Disposing of or selling equipment with recoverable data exposes the data controller to sanctions and reputational damage. Certified destruction closes that risk with a method and documentary proof.
The methods applied to each media type — and why SSDs need different handling from HDDs — are in Sanitization Methods.
Media and equipment we process¶
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Magnetic drives | HDDs from desktops, laptops and servers (SATA, SAS) |
| Flash memory | SSDs, NVMe and M.2 drives |
| Backup | Backup tapes (LTO and others) |
| Mobile devices | Corporate smartphones and tablets |
| Removable media | USB drives, memory cards and optical media (CD/DVD) |
| Complete equipment | Servers, storage systems, laptops, desktops and workstations |
Destruction + value recovery¶
Idle equipment in storage is idle money — and a data breach waiting to happen. When retired equipment still has market value, InteSys evaluates and buys the lot, with certified sanitization before any resale. In many projects, the recovered value partially or fully offsets the cost of the operation.
Details in ITAD & Equipment Buyback.
From pickup to certificate¶
- Inventory and scope — quantities, media types and items for sale.
- Proposal — scope, service pricing and asset buyback values.
- Secure on-site pickup — anywhere in Brazil, in sealed, identified containers.
- Processing — every device logged by serial number and processed with the contracted method.
- Certificate and final report — per-serial certificate of destruction and a consolidated report.
The full process and the audit documentation package are in Process & Documentation.
Why InteSys¶
- 20+ years protecting business data — two decades running mission-critical infrastructure for 500+ active clients.
- Security first — the same security culture as our datacenters, applied to your assets' end of life.
- Destruction + value recovery — one operation covers data, disposal and equipment resale, fully documented.
- Nationwide service — on-site pickup anywhere in Brazil, with chain of custody and per-serial certificates.
Media destruction FAQ¶
Doesn't formatting a hard drive erase the data?¶
No. Formatting rebuilds the file system structure, but the data stays on the disk and can be recovered with free tools. Only verified sanitization or physical destruction guarantees permanent elimination.
What is the difference between sanitization and physical destruction?¶
Sanitization (secure erasure) eliminates the data while preserving the device for reuse or resale. Physical destruction renders the media unusable. Both produce certificates; the choice depends on your security policy and the equipment's condition.
Do you issue a certificate of destruction?¶
Yes. We issue a per-serial-number certificate with the method used, the date and the verification result — evidence for audits and for LGPD compliance.
Which media do you destroy?¶
HDDs, SSDs, NVMe, backup tapes, smartphones, tablets, USB drives, memory cards, optical media and complete equipment such as servers, storage systems and laptops.
Does degaussing work on SSDs?¶
No. SSDs and NVMe drives store data in flash memory chips, which do not respond to magnetic fields. For these devices the right path is verified cryptographic/Secure Erase or physical destruction.
Do you pick up at my company? Do you serve all of Brazil?¶
Yes. We collect at the client's site anywhere in Brazil, in sealed containers with a documented chain of custody.
Do you buy used IT equipment?¶
Yes. We buy corporate lots of laptops, desktops, servers, storage, monitors and peripherals. Send your inventory for an evaluation; data is sanitized with certification before any resale.
How much is my equipment lot worth?¶
It depends on model, configuration, age, quantity and condition. Send your equipment list (or photos and quantities) and our team will return an evaluation. In many cases, the lot's value offsets the cost of the disposal operation.
Is the service LGPD-compliant?¶
Yes. The process is designed to fulfill Article 16 of Law No. 13,709/2018, with secure data elimination and per-serial documentary evidence.
How do I request a quote?¶
Reach our team through the contact form and describe the quantities and types of media or equipment — or ask for help building the inventory.
Next Steps¶
- Sanitization Methods — NIST SP 800-88 Rev. 2, Clear/Purge/Destroy and the SSD case
- ITAD & Equipment Buyback — selling the lot, value recovery and reverse logistics
- Process & Documentation — pickup to certificate, and what an audit asks for
- Backup & Restore — retention and deletion of data copies at end of term