SK tes Sounds the Alarm on Forgotten Cyber Threats Lurking in Retired IT Assets
SINGAPORE, SG – 26/10/2025 – (SeaPRwire) – As organizations across the globe reinforce their defenses this Cybersecurity Awareness Month, experts are drawing attention to a critical and often neglected battlefield in the fight against data breaches: end-of-life IT equipment. While companies spend millions on intrusion detection systems, firewalls, and endpoint protection, one silent vulnerability frequently slips through the cracks—what happens to the hardware once it’s retired?
According to SK tes, a global leader in secure IT asset disposition (ITAD) and lifecycle management services, discarded laptops, routers, and storage devices represent one of the most underestimated cybersecurity threats in modern enterprise environments. These assets, often decommissioned without adequate data sanitization, can become ticking time bombs for sensitive information leaks.
“Every data breach doesn’t start with a hacker—it can start with a forgotten hard drive,” says Tom Hoof, Group IT Director at SK tes. “We’ve seen routers resold with network credentials still active and drives containing hospital records sold in secondary markets. These aren’t isolated incidents—they’re evidence of widespread process gaps and systemic weaknesses that put businesses and individuals at risk.”
The Invisible Breach: When Discarded Devices Turn into Security Nightmares
Recent investigations have revealed alarming examples of how improperly handled IT assets can expose confidential data. Refurbished routers have surfaced containing sensitive corporate network information. Firewall appliances have been discovered leaking global configuration files. Even used hard drives with intact patient records have appeared in public resale markets.
These cases underscore a sobering truth: the digital residue left on outdated devices can outlast the equipment itself. A simple “factory reset” is often mistaken as a secure method of erasure—but it’s not. In fact, forensic recovery tools can extract data long after deletion, creating a false sense of security for organizations.
Raising the Bar: Standards for Secure Data Destruction
To combat these risks, SK tes advocates adherence to globally recognized data destruction standards such as NIST 800-88 and IEEE 2883:2022, which not only specify methods for erasing data but also mandate verification to ensure irretrievability. These frameworks define best practices for media sanitization, ensuring that once data is wiped, it stays wiped.
However, SK tes emphasizes that compliance is not just about technical procedures—it’s about corporate responsibility. “Secure data disposition must be treated as an integral part of an organization’s cybersecurity strategy,” Hoof explains. “It’s not the end of the IT lifecycle—it’s the final defense line against data compromise.”
From Oversight to Liability: The Compliance Cost of Neglect
Mishandling retired IT assets isn’t merely a technical lapse—it’s a compliance failure that can have severe legal and financial repercussions. Under major global frameworks such as GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS, NIS2, and DORA, companies are required to maintain strict controls over data storage, access, and destruction. Violations can result in multimillion-dollar fines, lawsuits, and irreversible reputational damage.
When hard drives or other devices containing confidential data are discarded without proper sanitization, the exposure risk extends beyond intellectual property. Personal health data, financial records, and proprietary business intelligence can all fall into unauthorized hands. For industries like healthcare, banking, and government, such breaches can devastate public trust and operational continuity.
A Wake-Up Call for IT Leaders and Compliance Teams
As SK tes observes, many organizations still lack visibility into the whereabouts and management of their decommissioned assets. During Cybersecurity Awareness Month, the company is urging CIOs, CISOs, compliance officers, and procurement teams to ask a simple but critical question:
“Do we know where our retired IT assets are—and what data might still be on them?”
This question lies at the heart of risk management. From USB drives and smartphones to entire data center servers, unmanaged end-of-life equipment represents an expanding blind spot in enterprise security.
To support businesses in closing this gap, SK tes has introduced a free “8-Point Checklist for Secure IT Asset Disposition.” This practical guide walks organizations through the essential steps for ensuring that data-bearing devices are properly wiped, verified, and disposed of in accordance with global standards. The checklist can be downloaded at www.sktes.com.
About SK tes
Founded in 2005 and now operating as a subsidiary of SK ecoplant, SK tes has established itself as a global leader in sustainable technology lifecycle and battery recycling services. The company’s expertise extends beyond ITAD into advanced battery recycling, enabling the recovery of critical materials at high purity levels for reuse in manufacturing supply chains.
With more than 40 owned facilities across 22 countries, SK tes provides consistent global service delivery backed by local expertise. Its geographically distributed network ensures regulatory compliance, reduced logistics costs, localized support, and an in-depth understanding of cross-border material movement.
As the company continues to advance sustainable and secure technology management practices, SK tes is positioning itself at the intersection of cybersecurity, compliance, and environmental responsibility—helping organizations protect their data while contributing to a cleaner, circular economy.
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