The General Data Protection Regulation is an important part of global data protection as a whole. With technology being a huge aspect of our lives, this is a non-negotiable for data, and that’s where GDPR comes in. One of the biggest ways that data is protected is by IT asset disposition, or ITAD. This helps to keep data protection even after the lifetime of devices, programs, and softwares. Let’s look more into ITAD and why GDPR is important in asset disposition to protect data of people and businesses.
What is General Data Protection Regulation?
Ultimately General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR is a regulation that focuses on how organizations handle personal data by putting strict rules on how companies use, collect, and store a person’s data. It ensures privacy rights and sets compliance for companies and organizations, whereas without them, there could potentially be problems with data protection and people could be subject to breaches or stolen data.
What Are the Key GDPR Principles Relating to ITAD?
There are seven main principles that relate directly to IT data disposition and help to regulate the way that these devices and softwares are disposed of.
Lawfulness, Fairness, & Transparency
This first initial principle states that data collection should be done legally and in a lawful way. It also states that the organization or company must have a valid reason for collecting the data from people and ensures that the data collected will be used for its intended purposes, and not for anything illegal or malice.
Purpose Limitation
This principle piggybacks off needing to have a legitimate reason for collecting someone’s data and this reason must be lawful and specific. The data must not be misused and it can only be used for the reasoning that was stated for the data collection in the first place.
Data Minimization
Data minimization principle states that the data collection should be minimal and only should be collected to fill the desired needs. This means that no extra data should be saved and collected for any other purpose than the data needed for the specific intended data collection purpose.
Accuracy
This principle states that “every reasonable step must be taken” when the data is no longer needed. This means that they have to erase or modify data that is incomplete or inaccurate. The data can be updated as changes are needed, but inaccurate or unneeded data should be erased fully and legally – this is where ITAD comes in as well.
Storage Limitation
Ultimately this states that data that is no longre needed or that has met the required need should be erased from all company records. This principle is necessary to ensure that there is not a breach that could affect both the customers and also the organization.
Integrity and Confidentiality
This states that the data collected and given to these businesses are safe from extern al and interal threats. It also states that the access to this data is only done by authorized people and no other unauthorized internal or external people can gain access to their data.
Accountability
This principle requires organizations and companies to take measures to process the data collected by abiding by all the other six principles listed above. It also states that if requested, the organization must be able to showcase that they are abiding and following these principles in their data collection.
Common GDPR Challenges in ITAD
There are many different challenges that can happen when looking at IT asset disposition and the need for General Data Protection Regulation. Because the two work hand in hand, it’s important to rcognize these challenges and look into avoiding them if needed.
Leftover Data on Retired Devices
One of the biggest challenges that come about when looking into IT asset disposition is the fact that there could be leftover data on retired devices if its not properly deleted. If these devices get into the wrong hands, then access to this data could cause a breach. This is why it’s extremely important to make sure you are following all ITAD compliance regulations and deleting data from retired devices properly.
No Standard in Destruction Process
Although some organizations do ahev a standard for how they erase data from devices, not having a standard could mean that data is leftover. This also could make for a potential to have issues in ensuring that data is being disposed of properly if there is no standard on the process.
Gaps in Tracking
When working with ITAD, it’s important to keep track of all the steps that have been taken to dispose of the data on devices. If this is not being tracked correctly, then there’s a possibility that something could go missing and leave data still on these retired devices.
Auditing or Reporting of Breaches
If there are no standards or documentation, then it coule be difficult to prove that your organization is following compliance regulations properly when it comes to ITAD.
Best Practices for Staying Compliant with GDPR
When doing IT asset disposition it’s important to stay compliant with General Data Protection Regulations and here are some of the top ways that you can do that as an organization.
Implement Standards and Approve Destruction Techniques: You should implement standards acros syour organization and choose approved destruction techniques for data. This will eliminate problems with not having a set way to dispose of data and ensures everyone throughout the organization knows what to do.
Work With ITAD Companies: ITAD companies can ensure that data is being erased properly every single time and they are a huge asset to organizations to avoid data breaches.
Recordkeeping and Auditing: Keeping track of all devices and what step in the ITAD process they are is important for keeping everyone on track. It also allows you to have a traceable way to look back at practices in the case that a breach happens.
General Data Protection Regulation in ITAD
GDPR is a very important part of IT asset disposition and it’s essential to ensure that both the data collection processes and the data destruction processes are regulated and legitimate. Data collection is something that is happening everyday, but having regulations in place ensures that people are protected and do not have to worry about their collected data getting into the wrong hands. Both ITAD and GDPR work together to keep people safe in a world where they are inputting their data in technology almost every single day. Having regulations in place can protect your customers and yourself as an organization from breaches on the collected data.
