Technology has evolved significantly over the past decade, enabling collaboration and enhanced communication on a global scale. The growth of the Internet has provided education, tools, and information accessible on numerous mobile devices we use every day. The problem is that with the growth of technology comes the growth of technological equipment and an increased risk of data breaches. The key to data security starts with responsible IT asset management.
In a digital age, IT asset management may seem necessary, but many consumers fail to realize that proper IT maintenance and management goes beyond use. Retired IT assets are arguably more important than those in use because they are often disregarded as unimportant. New IT equipment often takes precedence over retired hardware, and older models typically end up in storage closets or discarded wherever there is room. Some are sent to incineration facilities and landfills, while others are sometimes left on street curbs or thrown out with municipal waste. No matter how disposed of, their value decreases when out of use. Out of sight and out of mind, retired IT assets are often most vulnerable to data theft.
A common misconception is that data can be erased from a device with a simple reset when, in fact, data remains on a device until it is properly sanitized. This means significant amounts of sensitive enterprise and employee data are vulnerable to theft when sent anywhere before data destruction. Three thousand two hundred five data breaches were reported in 2023, impacting 353 million users. As technology evolves, so do hackers, and IT asset management is a critical step in protecting enterprise data.
Data is also vulnerable during transit before data sanitization and in storage before processing, which makes IT asset management even more crucial. Finding an ITAD provider like HOBI that offers IT asset management services helps increase data security throughout the disposition process.
With more than 30 years of experience in the waste management industry, HOBI International, Inc. is an R2, RIOS, WBE, and ISO 14001 certified IT asset management and disposition enterprise. HOBI understands the critical nature of data security and offers onsite data erasure to help mitigate any potential data theft using an internally developed data erasure tool. As one of our 3 data security steps, HOBI Shield completely wipes all data from a device before it is processed, and any hard drive that cannot be erased is shredded to prevent further data leaks.
HOBI also offers customizable reverse logistics solutions for clients, whether they are in-office or remote. We also implement cameras and padlocked cages as an extra security measure for assets that spend the night in storage before processing.
Partnering with an ITAD provider who understands the importance of responsible IT asset management will help protect data with onsite data erasure and reverse logistics services.
For more information about our ITAM services, call 817-814-2620 or contact HOBI at sales@hobi.com.