Are You Sure That Your Old Hardware Has Been Properly Disposed Of?

Are You Sure That Your Old Hardware Has Been Properly Disposed Of?

Improperly disposing of your business hardware can present a major risk to your cybersecurity. Are you sure cybercriminals can’t access private data on your junk hardware?

It’s hard enough to protect your business from security risks that come with using technology, but have you thought about the risks that come with disposal?

No technology lasts forever. At a certain point, your business will have to dispose of desktops, laptops, servers, and more to make room for the new, modern versions that you’ll use for the next few years.

Many businesses take it for granted that the old hardware will be properly cleaned and formatted before it is recycled, resold, or put in storage. The unfortunate reality is that this isn’t always the case.

Proper Disposal Plays A Critical Role In ITAD

IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) has become a critical service over the course of the past decade. Even though hardware spending dropped over the course of 2020 due to the pandemic, it remains an area of spending worth hundreds of billions of dollars a year. All that hardware eventually gets too old and needs to be replaced.

That’s where ITAD comes into play, which is the practice of knowing how, when, and where to dispose of IT hardware. This is important because, eventually, all hardware (and software) becomes so old it’s dangerous to continue using.

This is generally known as “end of life”, the point at which there is no longer any type of support offered for the given technology. No support means no updates, and no updates means no critical patches or fixes. Without security updates and bug patches, you open yourself up to a number of risks:

  • Ongoing downtime
  • Malware infections and security vulnerabilities
  • Exposed private data

However, ITAD isn’t just a matter of knowing when your hardware needs to be replaced. It also means knowing how to dispose of it properly. Throwing it in a dumpster, donating to a local technical institute, or reselling it can be extremely dangerous for your data security if these devices have not been properly wiped. Unintentional data breaches and loss of privacy can affect your company’s reputation, result in loss of business, and even further consequences depending on your business’ industry compliance guidelines.

Even if you think you’ve deleted all the files on a given device, that doesn’t mean a cybercriminal wouldn’t be able to recover them. That’s why you need to work with a certified recycler, which will ensure your devices are properly destroyed and disposed of in an environmentally-friendly manner.

To ensure that your data is properly protected during and after usage, you need an IT support partner like  Outsource IT Solutions Group that you can trust to handle it for you.

OSG Has Partnered With E-Scrap Technologies To Help You Dispose of Your Hardware Properly

Need a hand managing your IT assets’ lifecycles and securely disposing of them when they are no longer of any use to you? Outsource IT Solutions Group can handle it for you, with help from our expert partner, E-Scrap Technologies.

As a part of our ITAD services, we and E-Scrap Technologies will ensure your old hardware presents no threats to your organization’s cybersecurity. As a certified recycler, E-Scrap Technologies provides a proven process for disposing of IT assets, including a certificate of destruction for you to keep on file as a part of your documentation.

We have the expertise necessary to ensure your information is never put at risk when you’re in the process of recycling and replacing old hardware. Get in touch with our team to get started.

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