The ‘bring your own device’ trend is making IT disposal more of a challenge, it has been revealed.
‘Bring your own device’ (BYOD) is when employees store company data on their own laptops, tablets or smart phones.
Employees must be aware how to securely store and dispose of IT equipment – failure to do so could lead to a £500,000 fine from the Information Commissioner’s Office.
According to IT disposal company PHE Maxitech, a ‘data controller’ should be assigned to create a confidential data policy for staff.
Their responsibilities would include creating an inventory of redundant hardware, carrying out risk assessments, and choosing a reputable company to outsource data destruction to.
A PHE Maxitech spokesperson said: “Every business needs to process their data in accordance with the Data Protection Act, and this includes destroying all sensitive information contained on computers and other media devices when it is no longer needed.
“With employees storing data on their own laptops, tablets and even smart phones, company information is naturally going to be harder to manage.”
