Multinational Technology Company Securely Erases Removable Media Upon Return

Today, removable media devices are a staple for both individuals and businesses. From SD cards to USB sticks and beyond, removable media can be used in a wide array of assets, including cameras, laptops, mobile devices and more. Securely sanitizing these assets is often overlooked, but important. Removable media can hold a lot of sensitive data, and that data should be securely removed before these devices are repurposed or resold.

Challenge

A global technology provider processes millions of removable media devices such as USB flash sticks and SD cards each year, primarily from customer returns.

The company was previously using external repair partners to perform data sanitization and refurbishment. This incurred large costs because the devices had to be shipped to another location during the process, putting the assets at risk of potential loss, theft or breach.

Solution

With Blancco, the multinational company was able to bring the whole process in-house and save time and money in the process. The IT department also had the peace of mind of not having to ship assets outside of the organization and keeping all chain of custody and reporting in-house.

The company uses a combination of Blancco Removable Media Eraser and Blancco Flash Appliance to securely and efficiently sanitize removable media as soon as it comes into the returns warehouse to minimize risk.

The organization has installed Blancco Removable Media Eraser on Windows machines in locations where their volume of returns is lower. This allows them to use part of the machine for erasure and repurpose other parts of the machine. This flexible solution also detects and reports key hardware details. The company often uses Blancco Removable Media Eraser when processing a higher-value or higher-security level device.

The organization also uses Blancco Flash Appliance, a hardware solution, to process removable media in locations where there are higher return volumes.

For both Removable Media Eraser and Blancco Flash Appliance, an erasure report is generated after each asset has been sanitized. All reports then go into the Blancco Management Console, where the company can assess the reports. Then company staff decide what’s next for the devices—whether they’re recirculated, refurbished, returned to the manufacturer, etc.

About Blancco

Reduce Risk. Increase Efficiency. Be Sustainable.  

Blancco Technology Group (AIM: BLTG) provides organizations with secure, compliant, and automated solutions that accelerate the transition to the circular economy. Each year, tens of millions of Blancco erasures allow top-tier organizations to protect end-of-life data against unauthorized access, safely redeploy data storage assets, and firmly comply with increased data protection and privacy requirements. Our precise device diagnostics help move used IT assets confidently into the circular economy, enabling enterprises, IT asset disposition (ITAD) vendors and recyclers, and mobile industry stakeholders to operate more sustainably.  

Globally approved, recommended and certified by governing and industry bodies around the world, Blancco is the industry standard in data erasure and mobile lifecycle solutions. With 35+ patented or patent-pending ideas, we continue to grow the number of innovative solutions global companies can rely on to accelerate operations, secure their data, and grow their businesses.   

Read more about us at www.blancco.com.