Protecting your brand: Stolen data from drives and media can hurt you
It’s important to have a system in place to destroy sensitive data onsite as soon as a device is retired or a hard drive fails. Drives filled with sensitive data that are left in accessible areas of a business are vulnerable to disgruntled employees as well as visitors.
The Importance of Secure IT Asset Disposal
After your computer/laptop breaks down, what do you do with it? Do you retire it to your IT Department? Do you send it to the IT cemetery in the sky? Before taking any step for retirement of your IT equipment, you must consider all of your old files, data, and pertinent client information.
The problem lies in understanding the risk of any IT asset that could be reused or resold. Many security professionals are involved in asset management and theft prevention…not in the proper, certified process of destruction of IT equipment.
Responsible IT Asset Recycling
Recent studies show that more than 1/3 of companies do not practice responsible IT Asset recycling. Proper IT asset disposal is more than just tossing out your old computers. It should be a security tactic, a measure of compliance, a part of your green initiatives, and also a tool that can add financial value to depreciated assets. IT asset disposal is more than just an obligation that companies have, it is a responsibility that should be taken seriously.
4 Ways Your IT Asset Disposal Vendor Can Save You Money
IT asset disposition can be a very time consuming and aggravating process. If not done correctly you risk significant costs (legal fees, fines, etc), environmental violations, and the risk of a data breach. As we have highlighted in other blogs, a solid decommissioning policy and disposition program is the first step in mitigating your risks. It is your IT asset disposal vendor that will make the difference when it comes to the execution phase. We will look at 4 ways that an IT asset disposal vendor can save you money on top of providing data security and compliance.
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.
Mobile Device Management: The New Frontier in IT Security
Mobile devices have changed the landscape of IT asset management and data security policies. IT managers now have to develop and implement new processes to help to manage, control, and properly dispose of these devices. The biggest hurdle with this is the shifting of power from the IT department to the employees themselves, this introduces a myriad of new risks. Risks such as corporate data available outside of a physical establishment as well as developing strategies for all makes of devices and operating systems.
TechR2 is a Certified Woman Owned Business
Over 700 public and private sector individuals participated in establishing the Standards and Procedures of this rigid certification review. The goal of the certification program is to streamline the certification process and increase the ability of women business owners to compete for contracts at a national level.
“Certification provides a marketing opportunity for women business enterprises to participate in outreach programs, “says Lisa Rajaie- VP of Admin of TechR2. “In addition, this program will enable us to develop relationships with larger companies and create opportunities for future partnerships with public and private companies.”
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.
ISO 27001: What Does It Mean & Why is it Important?
ISO 27001: What Does It Mean & Why is it Important? [vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text] We’re proud to announce that TechR2 has received ISO 27001 Certification. We’re very excited about this step forward, but what does it all mean? [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text]The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) provides globally recognized management standards to the electronics recycling industry on […]
Electronics Recycling: Why Should My Business Recycle?
Electronics Recycling: Why Should My Business Recycle? Part Two of our Recycling Series focuses on the importance of green business practices, and TechR2 services for secure data destruction and environmentally-safe disposal of your electronics. “Over the years, IT has fundamentally altered our work and life and improved our productivity, economy and social well-being. It now […]