www.ie-today.co.uk Security counsel
SECURE DATA DISPOSAL
TECHNOLOGY SPECIAL | 19
Simon Walsh explains the challenges of meeting data protection and environmental compliance when upgrading IT and telecoms equipment
I
n any contemporary learning environment, technology is everywhere. More and more schools use computers, laptops and tablets as part of their core curriculum and some have even positioned
themselves ahead of the corporate market in terms of how they use technology for teaching and learning. As such, the need for this equipment to be disposed of in a secure and environmentally responsible way has never been more important.
Administration departments, teachers and pupils are all reliant on IT-based systems for learning and record-keeping, and schools have an obligation to meet strict data protection compliance as set out by the Data Protection Act 1998. But while many organisations already invest signifi cant amounts of time and money to minimise the risks of data breach when technology is in use, there is less awareness of how to meet compliance when equipment reaches the end of its lifecycle. With this in mind, how can schools ensure that equipment is disposed of in a way that meets both data security and environmental compliance?
SECURITY, SUSTAINABILITY AND TRACEABILITY Simply throwing away old IT and telecoms equipment is neither safe nor secure, nor is it an environmentally responsible or cost-eff ective solution. Before any equipment can be disposed of, all data needs to be wiped and the school must be able to prove that this process has been completed in order to meet data protection compliance. Most schools do not have the tools or expertise
“By working with a specialist company, schools can manage their data security and environmental obligations while generating income towards the cost of an upgrade”
to undertake this themselves. By working with a specialist company which can erase all sensitive data from the equipment and then dispose or refurbish it, schools can manage their data security and environmental obligations while generating income towards the cost of an upgrade. But what should schools look for in an accountable and reputable provider? In accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998, the school has a responsibility to appoint a registered data processor, and the supplier should be able to provide full traceability for each piece of equipment through a dedicated online portfolio or account management system. Schools should also look for accreditations that confi rm the supplier’s disposal process meets the standards set out by the WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) directive, EA (Environmental Agency) regulations and restriction of hazardous substance (RoHS) compliance.
ADISA (Asset Disposal & Information
Security Alliance) membership provides a guarantee of best practice. The organisation is a group of leading risk management, compliance and data protection experts and demands high standards of data sanitation from its members. Schools should also expect their provider to be a certifi ed user and gold partner of Blancco data erasure software, which ensures maximum levels of security, and to provide full account management and detailed reporting for every item of hardware. The school remains liable for any breach in data security while IT and telecoms equipment is in transit, so it is also advisable to look for a supplier that will collect everything in its own unmarked vehicles to remove the risk of a third-party courier and ensure complete accountability.
REPURCHASING AND REDEPLOYMENT The lifecycle involvement of a secure data erasure specialist is worth remembering when a school is purchasing IT and telecoms equipment too. Not all equipment needs to be new, and having found a trusted supplier to erase and re-deploy old equipment, schools can often benefi t from sourcing refurbished equipment from the same, ADISA-accredited company. In this way, schools can be confi dent that they are spending their ICT budget wisely, and that they will have no exposure to data security or environmental issues, either from the disposal of old equipment or from the purchase of refurbished hardware. iE
Simon Walsh is director and co-founder of secure data erasure and IT asset disposal specialist ShP Ltd. W:
shplimited.co.uk
EDUCATION I N D E P E N D E N T
T O D A Y THE
TECHNOLOGY SPECIAL
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