Security Engineered Machinery Co., Inc. (SEM), global leader in high security information end-of-life solutions, is pleased to announce that its new Model SSD2-HS high security solid state disintegrator meets the requirements of NSA/CSS 9-12 Storage Device Declassification Policy Manual. This revolutionary device is now listed on the NSA/CSS EPL and was specifically designed for the destruction of classified and highly sensitive solid state media and devices, producing an NSA mandated 2mm squared final particle size.
“The SEM Model SSD2-HS is an exciting new addition to our long line of disintegrator devices and fills a large void within the intelligence community when it comes to classified SSD destruction,” commented Todd Busic, SEM Vice President of Sales. “This NSA listed device incorporates technologies to mitigate jams and increase operator health and safety via HEPA filters, making the SSD2-HS an industry first.”
The NSA states that in order for a solid state disintegrator to be NSA/CSS listed, it must be able to “reduce any solid state storage device to a maximum edge size of 2 millimeter or less” (NSA.Gov), making the SEM Model SSD2-HS a viable option for the destruction of end-of-life classified solid state material.
The Model SSD2-HS disintegrator has the power to cut through multiple steel plates, carriers, and other drives. The model’s dual stage cutting system features an auto unjam in both stages, robust safety features, and premium sound proofing. Together, the model’s dual stage cutting system combined with the solid steel rotor and cutting blades efficiently destroy multiple SSD-type devices.
“The Model SSD2-HS is a state-of-the-art, clean, and revolutionary device that ensures the secure end-of-life destruction of any and all solid state devices,” commented Andrew Kelleher, SEM President and CEO. “Our engineers have been working tirelessly on this product and the device performance reflects that. Whether it’s laptop boards, thumb drives, or other memory modules, this machine can destroy it.”
In addition to powerful steel rotors, the device is equipped with premium sound dampening insulation, a waste evacuation system with high efficiency particulate filtration and external vacuum, and other features to ensure optimal operator and environmental health and safety.
“SEM has long been an innovator of high security information destruction technology and the new SSD2-HS continues that tradition of excellence,” noted Busic.
WESTBOROUGH, MA, February 23, 2022 – Security Engineered Machinery Co., Inc. (SEM), global leader in high security information end-of-life solutions, once again partnered with Metrowest Habitat for Humanity for Operation Playhouse. The operation allows the opportunity for local Worcester County businesses to partner with veteran and military families to build and donate a playhouse to the family’s children. Each year, participating local businesses receive construction plans, paint, and a deconstructed house to build, and are given free rein to decorate the playhouses based on the children’s interests.
The SEM team decorated the playhouse for U.S. Army veteran Sgt. Christopher Cutliffe’s family. Sgt. Cutliffe served in the U.S. Army from 1998 to 2006 with a 2003 tour in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom.
“SEM was founded by a Korean War veteran in 1967, and ever since then we have worked very closely with all branches of the military and intelligence community, so any opportunity we have to give back, we take it,” said Andrew Kelleher, SEM President. “This cause has always been so close to our hearts, and it is always an absolute honor to come together and give back to a family that has given so much to our country.”
SEM Marketing Assistant, Amanda Canale, and Customer Care Representative, Cindy Haskell, painting the playhouse’s window frames. SEM Director of Marketing, Heidi White (left), and Marketing Assistant, Amanda Canale (right) intertwining ivy garland into the playhouse’s porch.
The SEM team took full creative control with Operation Playhouse 2022 and produced a jungle-themed playhouse for the Cutliffe family’s two small children. The playhouse, painted dark green, is adorned with bamboo, greenery, jungle-themed activity books and toys, a removable front porch with gate, and even a rope swing with jungle vines.
“Every year, we try to take creative liberty and produce a truly unique and special playhouse,” said Amanda Canale, SEM Marketing Assistant. “Our team really outdid themselves with this year’s concept. It’s by far the most creative we have been and it was incredibly heartwarming to see it received so lovingly by the Cutliffe family.”
Members of the SEM Sales, Engineering, and Service teams working together to construct the playhouse’s roof.
SEM Director of Marketing, Heidi White, presenting Sgt. Christopher Cutliffe and his family with a certificate and the playhouse.
This is SEM’s fourth year taking part in Operation Playhouse and certainly won’t be the last. “Operation Playhouse has become a tradition here at SEM and we are eagerly awaiting next year’s opportunity,” added Kelleher.
Watch a recap of the day in the video below.
About Habitat For Humanity
Habitat for Humanity is a global nonprofit housing organization working in local communities across all 50 states in the U.S. and in approximately 70 countries. Habitat’s vision is of a world where everyone has a decent place to live.
Security Engineered Machinery Co., Inc. (SEM), global leader in high security information end-of-life solutions, is pleased to introduce a new line of hard drive and solid state shredder models: the SEM Model DC-S1-3 Series. This unique series of devices are specifically designed for the destruction of enterprise rotational hard drives and solid state media, such as those found in data centers.
Designed at SEM’s Westborough, MA headquarters, the DC-S1-3 Series includes three models: the DC-S1-3 HDD for rotational hard drives, DC-S1-3 SSD for solid state drives, and DC-S1-3 HDD/SSD Combo for HDDs and SSDs. All are made in the USA and TAA compliant.
“The DC-S1-3 series is an exciting new addition to our already extensive line of data destruction devices that was designed as a result of feedback gathered over the years from our data center clients,” commented Nicholas Cakounes, SEM CTO. “In addition to robust health and safety features, the DC-S1-3 incorporates very high torque and solid steel cutting heads to easily destroy the toughest, most dense hard drives and devices.”
The S1-3 series of devices are designed with a 3HP motor, high torque, and 3-phase power, ensuring the machines’ longevity and consistency. The S1-3 HDD and SSD both come with a single feed opening while the S1-3 HDD/SSD combo unit includes two separate feed openings and cutting chambers, one for rotational, platter-based hard drives and the other for solid state hard drives and devices.
“Our new DC-S1-3 Series fills a gap for our data center clients when it comes to end-of-life hard drive destruction,” said Ben Figueroa, SEM Strategic Account Manager. “These devices not only offer consistent and efficient drive destruction, but also feature a compact footprint, which is so critical to our data center clients.”
In addition to rotational and solid state hard drives, the DC-S1-3 Series is ideal for the shredding of data tapes, cell phones, smartphones, optical media, memory sticks, thumb drives, PCBs, and other related electronic storage media.
When it comes to data storage, it’s difficult for many of us to fathom just how much information can fit on a portable hard drive or basic USB thumb drive. Many of us probably haven’t even filled up our own personal hard drives or come close to it. In the age of Big Data, USBs and portable hard drives have become the technological highways that bridge data between devices.
Now let’s think about how much information and data can be stored on a one terabyte (1TB) hard drive. For reference, a 1TB hard drive is equivalent to 1,000 gigabytes (GB). Maybe a couple thousand photos? A hundred movies or so? Well, the answer may shock you so let’s break it down by media type.
Photos Depending on the file type and size, a 1TB hard drive can hold anywhere between 250,000 and 310,000 photos. Just imagine how many family photo albums you can fill with 250,000 photos. It’s incomprehensible! Some of you may be thinking, “what would a thief want with my personal photos?” While the data stored in personal photos may not be always be confidential, it’s still private and personally identifiable. This means that if a thief were to steal your 1TB drive filled with family photos, the risks of the breach can still be high as whatever information that is offered in the photographs is now fair game. The thief could find out about what kind of material possessions you own, such as cars, jewelry, and furniture, where you like to vacation, where you live, and what you look like, making future theft and targeting that much easier.
Photographs may seem low on the ladder as far as sensitive information, but they can offer up more information than you’re probably willing to give up. Take for instance last year’s U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data breach. In June 2019, the CBP released a statement that photographs and video recordings of fewer than 100,000 people and their vehicles were stolen as part of an attack on a federal subcontractor. The photographs and video recordings were used in a growing facial-recognition program to assist the CBP in tracking the identity of people entering and exiting the United States. The photographs and footage were originally taken at various American airports and land border crossings where vehicle license plates and faces were captured over a short period of time. While the thieves were not able to capture other identifying information such as passports or travel documents, this type of breach isn’t to be downplayed as the victims are now at major risk for identity theft.
Circuit board futuristic server code processing. Orange, green, blue technology background with bokeh. 3d rendering
Video and Audio Home video enthusiasts can rejoice because storing all of your family videos in one place has become so much easier. A 1TB hard drive can hold up to 500 hours of high-definition 1080p video – that’s just over 20 full days! To put that into perspective, the total runtime of all the Marvel Cinematic Universe films (23 total) is approximately 50 hours – one-tenth the amount of storage.
Have a large music library? You’re in luck, too! A 1TB hard drive can hold up to 17,000 hours of audio files, totaling approximately 708 days’ worth. Still can’t fathom that much music? Imagine listening to the entire U2 studio album discography 24 times. Or listening to the entire Rolling Stones discography 15 times. Now that’s quite the road trip playlist!
Documents Here comes the truly mind-boggling part. If we’re talking strictly Microsoft Word documents, a 1TB hard drive can hold (…wait for it…) 85 million documents. Take that in for a moment. Eighty-five million documents. A person’s entire life can fit onto a drive and still have plenty of room to spare. Bills, social security numbers, bank account information, deeds, birth certificates, and more can be stored on 1TB which makes them a gold mine for hackers and thieves.
Leslie Johnston, Chief of Repository Development for the Library of Congress, noted that a 1TB hard drive can hold as much information as one-tenth of the Library of Congress. Now that comparison makes our heads spin! It can be scary thinking about the irreparable damage hackers and thieves can cause with that much information at their fingertips.
Clearly, a single 1TB hard drive can easily hold a lifetime’s worth of information (and then some), which is why having a secure end-of-life destruction plan is crucial in protecting that data. Protect yourself, your employees, and your company against future data breaches with one of our various high-quality NSA listed/CUI and unclassified magnetic media degaussers, IT crushers, and enterprise IT shredders. Any one of our exceptional sales team members are more than happy to help answer any questions you may have and help determine which machine will best meet your destruction needs.
