Global technology experts joined forces to launch a data security network, called the International Data Sanitization Consortium, Aug. 8.
The consortium plans to develop educational content for technology and IT security professionals related to best practices for "data sanitization." Data sanitization is the process of "deliberately, permanently and irreversibly removing or destroying the data stored on a memory device to make it unrecoverable," according to the consortium.
All "memory devices" must be sanitized — through destruction, cryptographic erasure or data erasure — before they are discarded, recycled or resold; otherwise, an unauthorized individual might gain access to the information, according to participating members of the consortium. These devices include mobile phones, medical devices or wearables, among others.
Initial members of the consortium include technology and IT security experts from various academic institutions, analyst firms, software providers and hardware manufacturers. Richard Stiennon, chief strategy officer of Blancco Technology Group and a founding member of the consortium, serves as its acting director.