Did You Know That Cybersecurity Extends Well Beyond the Cloud?

This month is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. For the 18th year in a row, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) are working to raise awareness about ways Americans can keep their personal and corporate data safe online.

It’s important to understand what threats are out there, how to take proactive measures to protect your data and how to navigate the situation should a data breach occur.

Phishing is the current biggest threat to business cybersecurity. But if you know what to watch for, hopefully you can avoid this type of cyber-breach in the first place. And, if you continuously back up your data, you won’t have to pay a ransom should you accidentally get caught in the “phishing net.”

It’s also important to password-protect your devices, appoint someone to be in charge of all data security matters within your organization, regularly install updates and patches, educate your family members and employees about cybersecurity…the list goes on.

But how often, when it comes to cybersecurity, do you think beyond the Cloud?

Play the cybersecurity long game

A comprehensive cybersecurity policy should take into consideration assets from procurement to retirement. In other words, cybersecurity is just as important once assets are retired from service as it is while they are in operation. Yet asset retirement is often a weak link in personal and corporate cybersecurity plans.

Remember, not all threats to your data come from the Cloud!

ITAD is a cybersecurity plan must-have

If you want to avoid a costly and potentially devastating data breach, be sure your ITAM (IT Asset Management) plan includes a partnership with a reputable ITAD (IT Asset Disposition) vendor.

An ITAD vendor helps you recycle or refurbish your end-of-life assets. But not all ITAD vendors are created equal.

When you’re searching for an ITAD partner, some important questions to ask include:

• What is your industry experience?
• Which certifications do you hold that ensure data security and social responsibility?
• Do you undergo regular audits?
• Which industry regulations do you abide by?
• Which standards do you apply to your operations?
• How do you maintain a tight chain of custody?
• Can I tour your facility?

To minimize any risk to your wallet, your reputation in your industry and your company’s wellbeing, it’s mission-critical to make sure whichever ITAD vendor you work with maintains your data security as its top priority.

Want to learn more about developing an effective, secure and profitable IT asset disposition (ITAD) program for your business? Download our free guide here!

Some vendors choose not to acquire and maintain industry certifications for data security and keep costs low by discarding electronics in ways that leave your data vulnerable to a breach…often even shipping your electronics overseas. They may also violate environmental policies and engage in unethical labor practices in the disposition processes.

Tech Dump sets the bar for data security

Fortunately, when you choose to work with Tech Dump, we operate by the highest standards in the ITAD industry. We maintain R2 (“Responsible Recycling”), ISO 14001 and ISO 45001. In order to do this, we undergo a rigorous yearly third-party audit to make sure our processes and procedures meet the highest industry standards, including NIST 800-88r1 for data erasure.

Upon request, we provide our clients with Certificates of Destruction and Sanitization as well so you or your company have full assurance that your data is thoroughly destroyed, eliminating the possibility of a data breach.

We also vet all of our downstream vendors, ensuring that they abide by these same standards. That means that your end-of-life assets and your sensitive data are in the best hands at all times.

As you spend time evaluating your cybersecurity environment this month, is there a gap in your data security when it comes to protecting your end-of-life assets? Reach out to us at 763.432.3117 to learn how we can help!