Secure data erasure and IT asset disposal: what to ask for

KINNEX Team2 October 20264 min read

Old laptops, servers and drives carry data long after they are retired.

Why delete is not enough

Deleting or formatting leaves data that can often be recovered with common tools.

Overwrite or cryptographic erase: for working drives, using tools that follow the NIST SP 800-88 guidelines, with a report per device.
Physical destruction: shredding or crushing for failed drives or the most sensitive data.
Degaussing for magnetic media where appropriate.

Ask for per-device erasure reports with serial numbers, date and method, and a certificate for the batch.

Record who held the equipment at each step: collection, transport, processing, final outcome. Seal and track containers.

Dispose of equipment through authorised recyclers and keep the records required under India’s E-Waste (Management) Rules.

Cleaned, working equipment can be refurbished and reused, or donated, if that matches policy.

Make sure every retired device passes through the process, including laptops of leavers and failed drives returned under warranty.