Setting Your Mind at Rest for Reuse

Whether it is Apple’s Daisy remanufacturing iPhones or Google using refurbished servers in their data centres, the tech world is waking up to a more sustainable attitude to hardware reuse. Yet the primary concern of organisations is the security of their and their customers’ data. So, how can companies like ours, who aim to put as much equipment as possible back into the use cycle, reassure organisations that sell to us their data is safe?

The core of our data wiping process is military grade data erasure software approved and recommended by over 15 of the world’s governing bodies, as our article, Why Selling to us is Safe and Environmentally Friendly, by our IT Security Manager explains. However, the Techbuyer secure process is about much more than that. Secure asset reuse involves safety procedures at every step from collection at the customer facility to redelivery to new users. Here are some of the ways we make that happen.

Before we begin

We have always strived to do things in the best way possible at Techbuyer and it has been great to get our homework checked by the right accreditation bodies. Way ahead of GDPR coming into effect, we secured industry accreditations from IASME and Cyber Essentials, both concerned with risk management strategies, procedures, cyber security and safe data handling. We are also ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 accredited for quality and environmental management. Our staff are trained in accordance with these protocols, undergo security vetting prior to employment, and carry photo ID.

At your site

We maintain strict control of the entire collection procedure using our own security vetted staff. All items are supervised until loading is complete and triaged into data bearing and not data bearing components. A full asset collection list is signed off by both the customer and Techbuyer representatives.

In transit

We use our own dedicated transit vehicles, which are GPS tracked and dedicated to particular clients so that there are no unnecessary stops along the way. Techbuyer transport is also fitted with CCTV to monitor assets during loading and throughout the journey.

At our facility

As part of the asset register sign-off, all components are logged on arrival and accepted into a facility that is CCTV monitored and alarmed and includes a warehouse behind locked gates. All data bearing assets are stored in a secure, key-coded location accessible by only authorised members of staff. These are wiped with military grade data erasure software within 24 hours of arrival. With over 10,000 drives wiped every month, secure data destruction is a core part of our business. Any items which are faulty and unsuitable for this software are destroyed on site and certification issued.

Beyond our company

One thing organisations need to be sure of is that whatever happens to the hardware after it leaves us, the data it contains has been destroyed. We use top of the range data erasure software from the two industry leaders, Blancco and WhiteCanyon, which issues certification as part of the process. We supply this certification to our customers for peace of mind and keep another copy on site for seven years. Our core business may be to prolong the life of hardware. Data, however, is safely laid to rest.