SOS - What to Do Before Getting Rid of My Old Hardware

In Brief

Before you get rid of your old hardware, consider the level of criticality of the hardware itself and the data saved on it.

Confidentiality

Hardware that contains secret or confidential classified data should not be reused by anyone else or in other departments. Storage media that holds such data should be destroyed either by being crushed or by a degausser.

Hardware that contains limited or internal data can be disposed of. The procedures for disposing of hardware must be followed to the letter. Make sure you remove any company logos from the hardware. You should make it impossible to identify the previous owner.

Draft and enforce a Sectoral policy on Physical and environmental security – Disposal and reuse of equipment.

Availability

If you are disposing of hardware that requires high availability levels, check that you have enough replacements available before you dispose of it so that you can satisfy demand (stock of replacement hardware which meets redundancy needs and time needed for replacement).

Draft and enforce a Sectoral policy on Physical and environmental security – Maintenance.

Environment

When you dispose of hardware, make sure you respect the legal instructions relating to environmental safety. Failure to comply with disposal instructions may lead to legal and financial impacts, as well as consequences for your reputation.