Every company regularly rotates out of use computers for various reasons and business owners must figure out how to dispose of them. Some computers become obsolete; some break down – whatever the reason, this equipment needs disposing of. If you do not dispose them properly, your business risks exposure to data security threats. The following are some tips for securely decommissioning computers or other equipment.
Keep Track of All Decommissioned Equipment
Create a method of keeping track of all systems scheduled for decommissioning. You can do this by placing a clear indicator on each piece of equipment, such as a sticker. It’s important to track these items, so they are not misplaced or overlooked. It helps to place them in one designated location until completely clearing them. Having all of the equipment in one specified location will help with organization and make the process smoother for transitioning them out.
Keep Accurate Records
Ensure that whoever is in charge of decommissioning equipment signs off on the completion process of each item. This keeps track of each piece of equipment, and you have someone you can refer back to in case something goes wrong. Have this person keep accurate records by logging the date and time of completion as well as any specifics on each item.
Employ Data Destruction Methods
Don’t assume that hard drives in the decommissioned machines are free from sensitive data. In fact, it is better to assume that they all contain data that needs erasing. However, simply reformatting a drive doesn’t make it completely data-free. There are software recovery programs that can often find data on reformatted drives. The best option is to physically destroy the device to the point that data on the drive is completely unrecoverable. This is easily accomplished with a commercial-capacity computer hard disk drive destroyer.
Disposing of decommissioned computer equipment is a regular part of business operations. Don’t make the mistake of compromising your sensitive data by not employing proper security practices.
Contact us today to learn about our suite of High-Security Data Destruction products.
