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How Well is Data Protected on iPhones?
How well does Apple protect user data on iOS devices? Serious questions can be raised after revelations that the Pegasus spyware uses iPhone vulnerabilities to spy on nearly every aspect of a target’s life (see our Pegasus report). iOS devices had the image of being secure, and Apple as a…
Destructing Data Carriers – Not So Simple
The destruction of a data carrier is not as simple as it may appear to be. First, you have to take the data carrier out of the device or system, except for when you decide to destruct the whole device. That can be a loss of capital and is not…
To Degauss or not to Degauss?
Degaussing or demagnetizing is a method of data storage sanitization. It can be used in combination or be complementary to other methods, like erasure with software, or shredding. Degaussing has some interesting advantages, for instance it is a quick process, and can be executed onsite by internal operators. But it…
Data Classification and Categorization More and More a Necessity
For ISO 27001, data classification is a compulsory part. Guidelines for data sanitization, like NIST 800-88, and norms for data destruction, like ISO/IEC 21964, refer to categorization of information and information systems. Large government and military organizations are familiar with the concept of data classification. In the past few years…
Most read articles:
Pegasus, the Spy Who Loves iPhones
In summer 2021 a series of revelations about NSO Group and their mobile spyware Pegasus caused an uproar among those who thought the iPhone was relatively secure. NSO Group specialised in spying on mobile devices (including iOS and Android) and were proven not only to be able to exploit vulnerabilities…
The Unnoticed Security Threat: Data on MF-Printers or Digital-Copiers
A relatively silent revolution has been taking place for the last couple of years: the simple printer has become much smarter, accelerated by the integration of copiers and printers into digital-copiers or multi-functional-printers. While security has been focused on networks, servers, PC and mobile, the storage revolution of printing units…
Is ISO IEC 21964 good enough?
The ISO IEC 21964 is a very useful international standard for data carrier destruction. It is a copy of the German DIN norm 66399 from 2012. The standard contains clear guidelines for the physical destruction of data carriers and for complete destruction processes. It can also be useful for evaluating…
Data Erasure Software Enveloped in Mist
Commercial software for data erasure is not as “shiny” as it could be because it has been enveloped in mist due to a lack of transparency and hard data. That has been the case since the beginning by not debunking the Guttman myth for HDD erasure, to today with the…
Featured reports:
Guidelines for Media Sanitization: The Essentials of NIST 800 88r1
Every decisionmaker involved in protecting the confidentiality of information in public or private organizations should be concerned about the protection of information stored on disposed media. Media sanitization refers to a process that renders access to target data on the media infeasible for a given level of effort. Guidelines from…
What is the Most Sustainable Data Sanitization Solution?
There is no doubt that data erasure or wiping software is the most sustainable of all data sanitization solutions. This is because it allows the device to be re-used with its original data storage components. After degaussing, only certain types of tape can be reused, but other media, like HDD’s,…
What are the security risks of smartphone disposal?
Hackers and cybercriminals are increasingly interested in gaining access to mobile devices because of the rapid growth of data they carry. What are the risks of data recovered from used smartphones or tablets? How do you avoid becoming vulnerable to data leaks from these obsolete devices? Google (Android) and Apple…
How Secure is Data Erasure Software?
Deleting files and emptying the recycle bin or reformatting a drive is not sanitizing a data carrier. That only deletes references, which makes files invisible to the operating system. The data is still there, and easily recoverable. It is like tearing the table of contents out of a book. More…
How safe is your data?
What to do with old hardware when renewing your IT assets? Data on used hardware is an underestimated security risk.
Are you aware of the risks of devices leaving your premises with stored data? Are you sure that all of your data carriers are correctly sanitized? Are those sanitizations efficient and effective, and at what level can you prove it? The risks involved with used data storage devices is quite different to cybersecurity risks. It is the difference between the online world and the offline world.
Used IT equipment and parts travel the world and any data stored on them waits patiently. Sooner or later that data can easily fall into the wrong hands. It might be company data, user information, network access information, or private information stored by the last user. This is useful to hackers and also violates legislation such as the GDPR. Destabilization, espionage, sabotage, and under certain conditions, cybercrime are the main threats. Your data is not stored only in your central data warehouse. The number and types of data storage devices are multiplying and many of them are not well identified. In many cases, sanitization processes and methods are missing or incomplete. Thorough verification and end checks are rarely performed.
A good security policy starts with awareness. Relevant information in this underexposed, fractured niche is not easy to find. This site will help you to stay safe and compliant with relevant information and provide insight on secure data sanitization.
Projected annual industry volume from 2022
About
IT-Responsible is for managers in charge of IT Systems/IT Asset Management, Procurement, Security, and others who responsibly organize the disposal processes of obsolete hardware.
Our focus is to help you to ensure and prove that no unauthorized data will leave your organization. In many cases, risk of data breach through obsolete data carriers is systematically underestimated and its prevention a low priority.
Data storage is growing exponentially with the need to store more and more data and an increasing number of devices which store this data. Complexity is increasing due to multiple new types of data carriers and technical innovations. Quick fixes are no longer available: if some time ago you selected a certified solution for sanitizing HDDs, it is very likely that today it will no longer suffice.
Available information about this subject is mostly fragmented, outdated, or even biased when it comes from manufacturers or software editors. IT-Responsible is aimed to facilitate End Of Life data protection by providing concise, practical information and tools to those in charge – regardless of if you are work for a small or large organization (public or private) or if you handle low interest or top security data.