Insider Threats & ITAD: Preventing Data Sabotage Before It Happens

By Clint Parsons, Director of Strategic Partnerships at SEAM

When people think about cybersecurity threats, the focus is often on external attacks—ransomware, phishing scams, and hackers trying to break in from the outside. But one of the most overlooked risks comes from inside your organization. Employees, whether acting maliciously or just making careless mistakes, can pose serious threats to your data security.

Recently, an incident made headlines where a disgruntled IT employee built a ‘kill switch’ into their company’s network, giving them the power to sabotage critical systems after a corporate restructure. This isn’t just a rare occurrence—it happens more often than people realize, and outdated or improperly handled IT assets can be one of the biggest vulnerabilities.

How Insider Threats Impact IT Asset Disposal

When an employee leaves an organization, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, they may still have access to old accounts, login credentials, or even physical devices that can be exploited. If companies don’t have a structured ITAD process, retired devices could become easy entry points for data theft, unauthorized access, or intentional sabotage.

Consider this:

• Old hard drives sitting in storage may still contain sensitive company or customer data.
• Laptops and desktops that haven’t been properly wiped can retain login credentials, personal information, and confidential documents.
• Networking equipment can store security configurations, making it easy for a former employee to manipulate settings remotely.

Without proper IT asset disposal, businesses risk data breaches, compliance violations, and reputational damage.

Best Practices to Prevent Insider Threats Through ITAD

1. Strict Chain of Custody: Every IT asset that leaves an organization should have a documented, trackable process ensuring it is properly destroyed or sanitized. A clear chain of custody helps prevent unauthorized access to decommissioned devices.
2. Certified Data Destruction: Simply deleting files or formatting a hard drive isn’t enough—data can still be recovered. Following industry standards like NIST 800-88 ensures proper wiping and destruction to meet compliance regulations. Physical destruction of hard drives is the most secure way to ensure sensitive data is unrecoverable, but it must be done correctly to for data to truly be destroyed.
3. Proactive ITAD Planning: Don’t wait until an employee is exiting to figure out what to do with their devices. Have a structured decommissioning plan in place. Establish policies for regularly reviewing and securely disposing of old IT assets.
4. End-of-Life Asset Security: Keep all retired IT assets in a locked and monitored area until they can be processed securely. Restrict access to only authorized personnel and use tamper-proof bins for storage before final disposal.

The Importance of Certified ITAD Providers

Improper disposal of IT assets can lead to security breaches, regulatory fines, and loss of customer trust. Organizations need to ensure their devices are securely processed, wiped, or physically destroyed following the highest industry standards.

By working with a certified ITAD provider, businesses can eliminate risks associated with insider threats, maintain compliance, and protect sensitive data. SEAM offers secure IT asset disposal services designed to meet compliance and security needs, ensuring that no retired device becomes a liability.

Don’t let your outdated IT assets become your next biggest liability. Contact us to learn how SEAM can protect your business.

Clint Parsons is the Director of Strategic Partnerships at SEAM, specializing in building partnerships with businesses of all sizes. He ensures clients effectively navigate secure data destruction, responsible recycling, and maximize the resale value of their IT equipment while staying compliant with evolving regulations.