IT Asset Disposal Myths

By now, everyone knows that tossing IT assets or outdated paper records in the trash is a big no-no.  If thieves access sensitive data, you could suffer a data breach and consumers could become victims of identity theft, all of which is terrible for your customers and your company.

The best way to protect confidential data is to work with a reliable South Dakota ITAD service provider, but first you have to overcome a few myths that could lead you to choose the wrong partner or ignore viable options for asset disposition.  Here are some common IT asset disposal myths you should know about.

MYTH: Relinquishing Possessions Absolves Liability

Nothing could be further from the truth.  When you collect confidential data, you are legally obligated protect it.  This is especially true when it comes to consumer data, which is protected by consumer privacy laws, and in some cases, additional industry regulations like HIPAA, FACTA, GLBA, FERPA, and so on.

This means you’re responsible for data security from collection through destruction, and you alone must ensure that any data you collect is properly destroyed.  Naturally, this can be a major burden for busy organizations who don’t necessarily have the resources on hand to destroy hard copies, hard drives, and other electronic devices.

It only makes sense to partner with a reliable data destruction company to manage paper shredding and ITAD needs for you.  However, it is your responsibility to choose a reputable and certified ITAD service provider, one that carefully vets downstream partners and provides you with end-to-end security, chain-of-custody tracking, and a Certificate of Destruction and Recycling as proof for your records.

MYTH: Certifications Don’t Matter

Companies who hold no certifications will try to tell you they’re just as dependable and compliant as vendors who go through the process to hold and maintain certifications.  In truth, these companies may subscribe to the same high standards, but without certifications, consumers have no way of knowing for sure.

Certifications from industry oversight groups like R2 and eStewards act as proof that a company subscribes to rigorous standards for operations, including data destruction and recycling practices, and that they submit to ongoing verification.

MYTH: Shredding is the Only Foolproof Option

While it’s true that shredding is often viewed as the gold standard in data destruction, since no trace of data can be salvaged from properly shredded hard drives, there is, in fact, another approved option.  If you’re interested in remarketing devices to offset costs, your best bet is to have your trusted ITAD partner securely wipe data.

When you choose a certified ITAD service provider to handle this task for you, any data on hard drives will be zeroed out, or overwritten by junk data like ones or zeros, completely eliminating any trace of former data.  Your data is gone because something else has taken its place.  When wiping is completed by professionals, in keeping with consumer privacy laws and applicable industry regulations, you can safely move ahead with plans to remarket devices.

Whether you’re interested in shredding or remarketing devices, SEAM is the certified ITAD service provider that offers the security, compliance, and guarantees your South Dakota company expects.  Contact us today at 605-274-7326 (SEAM) or online to request a quote and learn more.