Going through a company's external trash bins is illegal.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Depends on jurisdiction
• D. Sometimes

Answer: (A)

Dumpster diving exposes discarded information that could be used to compromise an organization. Because it involves accessing someone else’s property and potentially obtaining confidential documents, this activity is illegal in many jurisdictions. Even if the dumpster sits on public property, rummaging through it can still count as trespass or theft and can violate privacy and data-protection expectations. Companies rely on disposal policies—like shredding or secure destruction—to prevent this kind of data leakage. For that reason, going through external trash bins is treated as illegal and a security risk in most situations, though laws can vary by location. The key takeaway is to avoid accessing discarded materials and to enforce solid disposal controls to minimize data exposure.