Essential Components of Your ITAD Solution

IT asset disposition, or ITAD, is a crucial part of any company’s digital security plan.  Unfortunately, many businesses don’t give ITAD the same attention as setting up digital data protections like firewalls, antivirus programs, encryption, monitoring, and so on.  While it is important to keep current, usable data safe, it doesn’t eliminate the need to properly dispose of old data when you update hardware.

If you’re going to get rid of hard drives, computers, or other digital devices, you need to do so in keeping with privacy laws that protect the confidential, personal information your customers entrust to you.  This could mean complying with disposal standards set forth by federal, state, and local laws, and in some cases, even stricter rules detailed by HIPAA, FACTA, and other industry-specific regulations.

With the right ITAD solution in place, you won’t have to worry about outdated devices moldering in an office closet indefinitely and posing a risk for theft, nor will you have to worry that an untrustworthy destruction service will simply dump your devices wholesale, with no accountability, leaving you open to issues like data breach and identity theft.  What does such a plan entail?  Here are a few things to look for when choosing a partner to help you with the essential components of your ITAD solution.

Certifications

You obviously want an ITAD provider that can offer secure and reliable destruction and recycling of electronics, ensuring compliance with environmental and privacy laws.  The place to start is by looking for companies with certifications that speak to their commitment to meeting the highest security, ethical, and environmental standards, just for example.

You’ll want a company that has earned R2 certification, as well as e-Stewards certification, at the very least.  It couldn’t hurt to look for a vendor that conducts regular, independent audits to ensure consistent quality and compliance with standards, as well.

Security

When it comes to meeting your obligations for maintaining the privacy of sensitive customer data, security is of the utmost importance.  This includes secure collection, transportation, and storage of devices until they are destroyed, as well as a secure recycling process.

Ideally, you’ll want a partner that allows you to track your devices by serial number via an online portal that you can access 24/7.  Transparency at every level ensures that you can trust the service provider you’re working with.  In addition, you’ll gain peace of mind if you choose a destruction and recycling company that offers Certificates of Destruction and Recycling as proof that your devices have been securely and irretrievably disposed of.

Options for Destruction or Refurbishment and Resale

Not every company is interested in shredding hard drives and other devices.  You may want to wipe devices and resell them in order to recoup some cost.  The only way to be 100% sure your data is gone is to shred physical devices, but with a multi-step wipe process that includes several passes of overwriting, you can refurbish devices for resale in keeping with privacy laws.

Your best place to start when putting together a suitable ITAD solution is to discuss your options with a reputable, reliable, and certified service provider like SEAM.  If secure data and device disposal is a priority for your Sioux Falls, SD business, contact SEAM today at 605-274-SEAM (7326).