What do I need to do before throwing away old tech?

Brian from Mount Roskill

Our devices store so much personal information about us. So when it’s time to throw them away, how can we make sure they’re wiped clean?
Windows 10 support is due to expire in October and devices past this “best-before date” will not receive any fixes for new security issues.
Wayne Angus, country manager for IT asset lifecycle management company Greenbox, says this poses “a potential ticking time bomb”, with an estimated 240 million PCs globally no longer able to be used securely after October.
He describes e-waste as “one of New Zealand's most underappreciated security environmental threats”, with Kiwis producing an estimated 80 million kilograms annually.
People underestimate the cyber security risk associated with how they dispose of their old phones and laptops
Greenbox country manager Wayne Angus says people underestimate the cyber security risk associated with how they dispose of their old phones and laptops.
Urban Miners salvaging electronic waste from landfill
“The major challenge is around the data and the security of data because the cyber hackers and the underbelly out there in the world are very, very clever at extracting information and data from disposed of devices,” Angus told Nine to Noon.
For those replacing their old tech or people simply wanting an upgrade, there are some key factors to consider before getting rid of your device.
Can people access my files if I’ve deleted them or factory reset?
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AUT department of computer and information sciences head Minh Nguyen says think of files like books.
“All [a factory reset] does is just clear off all the data of username, password, and the table, but all your books are still there. The book is only labelled ‘deleted’, but the written text inside the book is still there.”
Some Apple and Android phones automatically ‘encrypt’ data. This means a ‘key’ acts as a password, so your data cannot be read without it, he says. Performing a factory reset on these phones deletes that encryption key.
Using the ‘quick format’ tool on laptops and PCs also leaves behind traces, Nguyen says. That’s why the ‘full format’ option is slower, he says, it works by opening every page in that book and removing all traces.
“However, still, if you think about it in real life, they still leave some marks. People with some [high-level] tools, they still can recover whatever you deleted by the eraser. So even full format, sometimes it's not 100 percent safe.”
How far do you really need to go?
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Physically destroying CDs may be your best bet, Nguyen says. But for things like laptops, high-level software is available for deep data erasure on devices if there's sensitive information.123RF
If you’ve got super important data, you could go to a certified IT asset disposal company which will take your device back to the bare bones, Angus says.
“[Cyber criminals will] spend hours fiddling through a hard drive just to try and find that one bit of information that they might be able to use to get access to your corporate database or get into your network through a password.”
Alternatively, you could follow the guide from e-waste service TechCollect on how to use this high-level software. But Nguyen says if you haven’t stored sensitive data on your device, you could resort to the steps below.
“[Doing a data erasure] might take a few hours to wipe off one, and most people might not bother to do that.”
The steps you can take
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The National Cyber Security Centre recommends starting with backing up your files to a Cloud service or a storage device.
Smartphones / tablets: Nguyen says encrypt your data (you can usually find the steps on your manufacturer’s website), sign out of all your accounts, perform a factory reset (instructions should also be on your manufacturer’s website), and remove any SIM or SD card. “Whatever data left inside the phone is encrypted, and it's very, very difficult to decrypt.”
Smartwatch: Firstly, unpair it from your phone, perform a factory reset then remove any SIM card. “It should be safe because once you unpair from your phone then you don't have much data left. After you [do a] factory reset, I think it goes to the brand new condition.”
Gaming consoles / smart TVs: Log out and perform a factory reset. Don’t forget to remove any USB or SD cards plugged in.
Laptops / PCs: Encrypt the hard drive disk and do a full format (which you can find the tool for by searching in your settings). You can then physically remove the hard drive as an extra security measure. Nguyen notes most people are saving data on to their Cloud storage, so that’s where the increasing security risk is. Similarly, performing a full format on a USB or external hard drive removes data more than just deleting.
Modem: Modems store your password and some DNS and VPN settings. Nguyen recommends starting with a factory reset. There’s usually a tiny hole which you can press using a pin or paper clip for about 10 to 30 seconds to do this. This will reset your password and admin username to the default (both ‘admin’). Access the admin page by going to ‘192.168.1.1’ on your web browser. Login using the default admin username and password and “just change the admin password to be whatever you don't even remember”.
The back of a modem with two wires plugged in.
Modems have internal memory storages that holds data on your Wi-Fi, IP address and admin username and password.Unsplash / Stephen Phillips
DVDs / CDs / SIM cards: It’s best to physically destroy these by cutting or breaking them, Nguyen says.
Cameras: Perform a factory reset and format the internal hard drive along with the external SD card.
Don't leave old devices lying around
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Lithium-ion batteries also have an end of life. If left inside devices, they can swell and become a fire risk, Angus says.
“If you've got a device like a phone or a laptop, and you notice that the back of the device where the battery is hidden away on the inside is starting to bulge, then you've got a real risk and you need to make sure that you get that dealt with properly.”
What are my options for disposal?
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Check your local council for more information about e-waste collection services in your area.
TechCollect is a free service that offers e-waste drop-off collection points across the country for households and small businesses. They encourage people with working devices to contact the Recycle A Device programme – a not-for-profit organisation who collect and refurbish old laptops and tablets which are then given to people who need them.
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