Many vendors understand that organizations face increased responsibility and liability for the data secured on electronic storage devices, even when those storage devices have failed in production environments.

IT Networks and Security strongly encourages departments that must return failed memory media to a vendor to discuss the return process with the vendor to ensure that the device will be adequately destroyed instead of being refurbished and sold again.  Most vendors have been able to accommodate the University in a mutually acceptable way that meets the vendor’s needs to run diagnostics on a failed product, while meeting the University’s needs and obligations to protect data.

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The University’s Confidential Document Handling Process can shred non-paper media such as CDs and plastic cards.  These materials must be kept separate from the confidential paper to be shredded.  A small confidential cart may be requested for this type of material.

For more information, visit:  http://www.purdue.edu/securepurdue/files/Shred_Singlepage.pdf

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The University is in the process of purchasing a media shredder that can be used to physically shred larger electronic media such as hard drives and other larger data storage equipment. It is anticipated that this type of service will be offered to University IT departments beginning in the summer of 2009. Information about the new service will be posted as soon as it is available.

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If you are unsure whether a memory device contained University-classified restricted data, the best course of action is to assume that the device contained restricted data and dispose of the device in accordance with the restricted classification. 

Media Disposal Guidelines for Purdue are available at:  http://www.purdue.edu/securepurdue/bestPractices/mediaDisposalGuidelines.cfm

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For media to be repurposed for University use, a form confirming the multiple pass/DoD secure overwrite should be completed and kept with the device until it is installed in an operational system and prepared for usage.

The Electronic Data Disposal Verification Form can be found on the bottom of the page at:  http://www.purdue.edu/securepurdue/bestPractices/mediaDisposalGuidelines.cfm

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A data destruction educational resource was created as a 2009 Purdue University Council for Manager Development project.

That resource is located at:  http://www.purdue.edu/securepurdue/datadestruction/index.cfm

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