Proper IT asset disposal (ITAD) is increasingly becoming a vital enterprise consideration and is an industry growing in sophistication, writes John Shegerian
Electronic devices are being switched out at a faster pace than we have ever seen before in history. At the rapid rate that technology is improving, businesses, government agencies, and individuals are all upgrading to the latest and greatest faster than ever before, and there has been an increased emphasis on data destruction.
At the end of the day, organisations in 2019 want a complete and thorough paper trail for their technology assets. Make, model, serial number tracking, etc. are important to catalog and keep track of, and, as mentioned above, the handling of sensitive data on these devices and data security in general is crucial if companies are to avoid devastating breaches.
Aside from a swifter turnover of devices and technological advances, there are a number of other major factors driving the growth of the ITAD market.
Finally, an unfortunate but very real consideration that is also leading to increased need for ITAD services is the escalating number of cybercrime and hardware hacking incidents.
Cybercrime
Hackers have become very sophisticated, leading to an urgent need for responsible and fully integrated ITAD services. When it comes to data theft, businesses are no longer only at risk in cyberspace. Outdated hardware has increasingly become the target of choice.
It is urgent that outdated devices be replaced – and then responsibly destroyed. That process should be done on-site by certified electronic recyclers and should always include complete, physical data destruction.
Guaranteed data destruction is key. Some companies believe their data is being wiped when they drop devices off for recycling and that is not always the case. Also, unethical and illegal shipping of e-waste abroad has become an additional layer to the hardware security issue because it leads to unethical data mining scenarios. Recycling these devices is important, but it must be done the right way.
No-risk approach
One data breach incident can lead to the end of a business due to fines, lawsuits, loss of customer confidence and loss of proprietary data in general.
The hardware security issue is significant now on a number of levels because it leads to the wholesale liquidation of the privacy of the corporations and individuals who have utilised the technology. It is more imperative than ever that we recycle these devices and do it the right way – from both environmental and data destruction standpoints.
Global issue
Every country is different and has different environmental regulations. In the United States, the individual states have their own sets of regulations even.
So it is crucial to work with an ITAD services provider that is familiar with all environmental, privacy and data security regulations for the region where the services are being provided. This can be demonstrated through certifications by governmental and industry watchdog organisations.
ITAD is a global issue and we are seeing need for ITAD services around the globe. The Asia Pacific region is pretty universally expected to be the fastest growing region in terms of ITAD activity and is projected to hold 30.9 percent global market share by 2022.
High technology adoption and industrialisation in emerging countries such as South Korea, India, and Australia are contributing to the soaring growth of that market. Additionally, increasing awareness towards environmental safety in emerging markets is propelling the growth of IT asset disposition planet-wide.
