The Maui News – Maui County will be holding a free, drive-thru hard drive and backup tape destruction and disposal service from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at the county building.

The event, held in the lower parking lot behind the Kalana O Maui building, is being organized in observance of Cyber Security Awareness Month. Access is from Kaohu Street, just below the road’s intersection with High Street.

Residents need to remove the hard drive from old computers, laptops, printers and other electronic devices and bring them to the event, the county news release said. Members of the county Information Technology Services Division will destroy the drives and dispose of them properly.

Backup tapes will be thoroughly wiped of information.

“This service is especially important because anyone can access your hard drive if you just throw it away,” said Jacob Verkerke, the county’s chief technology officer. “Even if you delete important information like bank statements, account numbers and Social Security information, someone who knows what they are doing can always find a way to retrieve it if they have your hard drive — even on a cellphone.”

An informational table with cybersecurity materials will be set up at the event as well. There also will be educational material on cybersafety on display in the lobby of the Kalana O Maui building through the end of October.

Cyber risks include identity theft, cyberpredators and cyberattacks at the workplace.

For additional security, computer users are reminded to:

* Set strong passwords and not to share them with anyone.

* Keep operating system, browser and other critical software optimized by installing updates.

* Maintain an open dialogue with family, friends and community about internet safety.

* Limit the amount of personal information posted online and use privacy settings to avoid sharing information widely.

* Be cautious about what is received or read online; if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

For more information on cyber risks, visit www.mauicounty.gov/cybersecurity.