HomeMy WebLinkAboutN-804 - Computer Media DisposalCITY OF PASCO
ADMINISTRATIVE ORDERS
Administrative Order No. 804 1
Information Services
Subject: Computer Media Disposal Initial Effective Date:
December I, 2010
Revised
Approved
1. PURPOSE:
To establish guidelines for the removal of electronic data or licensed software prior to
disposal or surplus of city computer equipment. Proper sanitization or destruction of data
will protect the city from unauthorized data access or misuse.
II. DEPARTMENTS AFFECTED:
All
III. REFERENCES:
IV. DEFINITIONS:
Located within policy.
V. POLICY:
All city computer media must be sanitized or destroyed prior to disposal or surplus.
Computer media includes; computer hard drives, external hard drives, backup tape
devices, USB "thumb" drives, camera memory cards, CD/DVD or any other media used.
"City computer media" includes information that may be contained on computers or
devices owned by other agencies which are in use for city business (i.e., Municipal Court
using state computers).
When it is determined by a department that any computer media is no longer required for
department use due to surplus, damage or other reasons; and such media does not contain
records that are subject to retention under state law, the department director shall transfer
such media to Information Services for sanitization or destruction.
Information Services shall be responsible for all electronic media destruction using one of
the methods described below.
Methods of sanitization or destruction will vary depending on the media format and will
include the following methods:
A) Overwriting or Wiping Data:
Overwriting must utilize Department of Defense (DOD) accepted methods, via
software or hardware device. Overwriting can be performed on hard drive and flash
drive devices with the appropriate software or device. Overwriting allows reuse of
hardware and flash drive devices. The overwrite process must be verifiably
completed.
B) Degaussing_
Degaussing effectively erases magnetic media, including hard drive and tape media,
and will render the media useless. Degaussing will only be used if Overwriting is
not successful or possible. Random testing of degaussed media must be performed
to verify data destruction.
C) Physical Destruction:
Physical destruction of hard drives and flash drive devices must be used when a
device is too old or damaged to be sanitized by Overwriting. Physical destruction
of tape media must be performed if degaussing is not possible. CD and DVD media
must be physically destroyed.
Date
Administrative Order No. 804 - Computer Media Disposal — Page 2