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IT Asset Decomissioning Policies: 7 Questions You Need to Ask

A decommissioning policy is important for many reasons. It helps you maintain compliance with local, state, and federal regulations. It creates an efficient process for your IT department, and most importantly it can save you from a costly data breach. Creating the policy can be difficult as there are many aspects that must be taken into consideration. Below are 7 things that should be considered when you are defining your company’s decommissioning policy:

The Cost of a Data Breach

A malicious attack (hacking, stealing, etc) can cost up to 25% more than a non-malicious attack. However, most data breaches occur due to the negligence from within the organization. This includes, the loss of a mobile device (cell phone, external hard drive), unsecured storage of retired computers, hard drives, and other data bearing devices. Here are a few examples of some recent data breaches that are a product of improper disposal and lost media devices.

Does Your Company Have the Same IT Security Lapses as the VA?

Later this month, the inspector general of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will release a security audit that identifies the IT weaknesses of non-classified government agencies, according to Data Breach Today. Surprisingly, the audit confirmed cyberthreats to the VA from both domestic and international hosts.

However, an expert quoted in the article noted that the same lapses uncovered at the VA are also prevalent in the private sector, and blamed a lack of education for failure to commit to basic security measures.

Outsource your IT without risking your data and device security

Outsource your IT without risking your data and device security [vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text]A 2013 Gartner report predicted the global IT outsourcing market to reach $288 billion, with Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Great China markets expanding more than 13 percent. In a recent article, Bryan Britz, Research Vice President at Gartner, said, “Enterprise buyers pursuing hybrid IT […]