When the process is properly managed there can be a lot of benefits for your organization in leasing IT equipment. But when it comes time to return your equipment, having leased it does not let you off the hook for data security. Regardless of the terms of the lease, your company is liable for the proper destruction of the information stored on the hard drives of leased equipment. In many cases, leasing companies (“the lessor”) never even touch the equipment after it’s returned. It’s up to your organization to make sure that your leasing partners – and the IT asset disposition vendors they use – are fully compliant with the latest and highest data security standards.

Here are some ways to be sure your leasing partners are doing data security right:

• Know your lessor and its partners. The companies you lease IT equipment from most likely partner with other firms for data sanitization and IT asset disposition. Know who those firms are and check them closely to make sure they are following best practices for data destruction.
• Get a certificate. Certificates of data sanitization, with the serial numbers of individual pieces of equipment, are a must in today’s regulatory environment. Are you getting them from your leasing partner?
• Protect yourself with certifications. You may not have the time or resources to fully vet a data sanitization provider, but if the provider has been certified according to the leading industry standards, you won’t have to. Certifications from R2/RIOS, NAID (National Association for Information Destruction), and e-Stewards all include data destruction and are recognized worldwide. Certified companies are required to submit to regular audits to maintain these certifications.
• Find your own data security partner. There’s greater security and much lower risk if you know that the hard drives you leased have been properly sanitized before they leave your facility. If your lessor can’t wipe your drives clean at your location, consider looking for a partner that can. Find a data sanitization provider that can meet your standards instead of hoping your leasing partner does the right thing with the equipment after it leaves your control. The cost is minimal and the return – peace of mind – is huge.

As with every aspect of asset management, a disciplined approach is the key to data security in lease arrangements. Every organization, regardless of size, needs to have a solid asset management program and follow it.