Data Security Text with Padlock Icon - Red Button on Black Computer Keyboard.
Data Security Text with Padlock Icon – Red Button on Black Computer Keyboard.
Maxxum, a technology asset disposal and deployment company based in the Twin Cities, recently completed a comprehensive research study to evaluate technology asset disposal practices.
The results reveal that organizations still engage in risky technology disposal behavior, even as data breaches continue to increase in frequency and severity.
Over 40 percent of respondents to the survey stated that their companies sometimes use disposal methods outside of a professional technology disposal service—including equipment donations and giving equipment to employees.
That practice is courting danger. In today’s digital environment, breaches and stolen information are much more prevalent and the costs of both are rising. IBM and the Ponemon Institute released a global study last January that said that the average total cost of a data breach has increased 23 percent in the last two years, up to $3.79 million.
“Even though companies are more aware than ever that it’s important to protect against breaches, most of them aren’t doing enough to safeguard themselves,” said Rich Woodward, President and CEO of Maxxum. “Data breaches, whether lost or stolen information, can damage your brand as well as result in fines. Maxxum’s best practices in data destruction and asset disposal can help companies secure their brand.”
Maxxum launched their survey in August, 2015, and ran it through November 2015, with the goal of gathering responses from highly regulated and risk adverse organizations including healthcare, insurance, medical device, financial services and education.