IT assets can quickly become a serious liability if they aren’t properly processed at end-of-life.
Data breaches in Canada and the United States are mounting at an alarming rate. The potential expenses are enormous, particularly when you mull over exactly what is at stake: regulatory investigations, penalties, and loss of brand reputation. Every IT asset turns out to be a potential liability for organizations and businesses at end-of-life. Do you know what happens to the data stored in your hard drives, laptops, and computers after you are done with the device? Or have you considered what could take place if this information ended up in the wrong hands?
Let us be your guide to proper storage of IT assets at end-of-life to protect against loss or theft and decrease the risk of a potential data security breach.
Why stage materials?
It is vital to store IT assets properly, even after reaching the end of their usefulness. Your business’ data storage devices, servers or computers may not work anymore, but it is still important to stage them properly to lessen environmental or privacy risks to your business. Usually, this is a matter of removing devices from use and grouping or physically isolating the media within the secure facility; clearly labeling them as being approved for destruction.
Staging materials helps lessen the risk
Every old IT asset that is placed in an unsecured storage room is vulnerable to a data security possibility and responsibility for the company. Documents, reports, forms, email, and text messages can all contain highly sensitive trade, financial or personal information. Whether it is personal information from specific clients or business information such as phone numbers, address information and account numbers, it is important to keep such devices in secure storage.
Staging IT devices in a secure place can lessen the risk of tampering and improper access while also providing proof of compliance. How can I reduce such risks?
- Improper Access – Keep an eye on any authorized and unauthorized access from the old IT equipment and/or electronic data devices.
- Tampering – Place secure containers in areas where security cameras record activity around them and instruct employees to report any proof of tampering.
You can even put the following processes into practice:
- Set up written policies around media disposal and handling
- Train staff and have them acknowledge the impact of proper management
- Internal auditing to verify processes are being followed and systems are operational
What does proper storage look like?
The right solution depends on your storage needs. Factors such as the size of your business, the number of locations or how long you will need to store will all influence what is right for you. The following are two secure options for end-of-life storage:
- Stationary Storage
Storing the devices in one secure place can be a simple approach to keep things organized and control access. This is actually a room or storage closet in your facility that can be secured. Combining this with proper documentation will help to keep the system running effortlessly with precise records.
However, if space is at a premium, dedicating a room to storage may not be an option. As an alternative, you will wish to mull over a mobile storage option.
- Secure Mobile Storage
Mobile storage lets you keep a collection container in the areas you need it. When the operations are spread across quite a few locations or you look forward to rotating out end-of-life equipment more often, having a securable container close by is necessary.
Secure and portable containers offer the security and convenience you need. You will have the capability of storing large quantities of media, hard drives, computers and other electronic devices. Best of all, this device remains simple to move and transport no matter how full it gets.
TechReset is a certified provider for delivering solutions for data destruction and ITAD in Toronto. If you work for a broader public sector institution such as a school board, you can easily find our IT assets services and solutions and choose to increase the security of your organization at the end-of-life.
To know more about safe and secure hard drive shredding and e-waste disposal in Mississauga, feel free to drop an e-mail at mark@techreset.com or give a call at 905 510 8969!