In a world where technology is constantly evolving, millions of storage devices meet a grim fate each year, shredded into pieces despite their potential for reuse. The Circular Drive Initiative (CDI), an alliance of technology companies dedicated to promoting the secure reuse of storage hardware, aims to change this wasteful practice. Spearheaded by Jonmichael Hands, the CDI’s secretary and treasurer, this partnership is determined to find a better solution.
Hands, who also works at Chia Network, a blockchain technology provider, realized the untapped potential of reusing storage devices that large data centers deemed obsolete.
In 2021, Chia Network approached IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) firms, which specialize in disposing of old technology, to explore the possibility of repurposing these drives. However, the response they received was disheartening: “Sorry, we have to shred old drives.”
Perplexed, Hands questioned this wasteful practice. “What do you mean, you destroy them?” he asked in disbelief. “Just erase the data and then sell them!” Unfortunately, the ITAD providers explained that their customers insisted on complete destruction.
Astonishingly, Hands learned that a single ITAD provider was shredding five million drives for one customer alone. While some drives storing less sensitive data are spared, the CDI estimates that a staggering 90% of hard drives are needlessly destroyed upon removal.
But why this destructive approach? Hands explain that cloud service providers cite security concerns as the primary reason for this practice, but in reality, it boils down to risk management.
These providers have a zero-risk policy, demanding that not even one in millions or billions of drives leak data. However, the irony lies in the fact that shredding devices can be risky in itself. With modern drives containing 500,000 tracks of data per square inch, a skilled data recovery expert could potentially extract data from a tiny 3mm piece.
To address this issue, the IEEE Standards Association approved a Standard for Sanitizing Storage last year. This standard outlines three methods for removing data from devices, known as sanitization. The least secure method is “clear,” where all data is deleted but could still be recovered using specialized tools.
This method is sufficient for reusing the drive within a company. On the other end of the spectrum, drives can be destroyed through melting or incineration, rendering both data and materials irrecoverable. In between lies the secure option of purging, which ensures that data recovery using state-of-the-art techniques is unfeasible.
Drive purging can be accomplished in various ways. Hard drives can be overwritten with new data patterns and subsequently verified to ensure the eradication of the original data. This process can take a day or two due to the increasing storage capacities of modern drives.
Alternatively, a cryptographic erase, which takes mere seconds, can be performed. Many contemporary drives come equipped with built-in encryption, rendering the data unreadable without the encryption key. By deleting the key, the data becomes scrambled and impossible to decipher. Drives undergoing cryptographic erasure can be safely resold.
Seagate, a prominent data storage solutions provider and a founding member of the CDI, recognizes the potential of secure erasure for drive reuse. Amy Zuckerman, the sustainability and transformation director at Seagate, explains that if trust in secure erases can be established universally among customers, drives can be returned to use.
Seagate’s efforts have resulted in the refurbishment and resale of 1.16 million hard drives and solid-state drives (SSDs) during the 2022 financial year, preventing over 540 tonnes of electronic waste. Refurbished drives undergo rigorous testing and recertification, and are sold with a five or seven-year warranty, attracting small data centers and cryptocurrency mining operations as customers.
While the initial strides toward storage device reuse are commendable, the challenge now lies in scaling up these initiatives. A significant portion of the 375 million hard drives sold by various companies in 2018 is now approaching the end of its warranty period.
Seagate explores avenues for parts extraction and materials recycling for drives that can no longer be reused. In a pilot take-back program in Taiwan, 57% of the material recovered from drives consisted of magnets and aluminum. However, to recover more of the 61 chemical elements utilized in drives, the industry needs to foster innovation.
The concept of sanitization and reuse extends beyond storage devices and encompasses other devices like routers. Tony Anscombe, the chief security evangelist at IT security company ESET, emphasizes that even if a company replaces a device every three years, it doesn’t mean it’s useless for the rest of the world.
Smaller internet service providers, for instance, could benefit from enterprise-grade routers that larger providers discard. However, proper decommissioning processes are vital to ensure the security of these devices.
ESET’s experience with second-hand core routers highlighted the prevalence of improperly wiped data, with only five out of 18 routers being adequately sanitized. These routers contained valuable information about networks, applications, and customers, posing a significant risk if acquired by malicious actors.
To ensure data eradication, Anscombe suggests involving security researchers who can assess whether a device has been fully sanitized. By understanding how to clean data from devices, companies can confidently send them for reuse or recycling, breaking free from the linear “take-make-waste” economy. Seagate’s Zuckerman sums it up succinctly: “The days of the ‘take-make-waste’ linear economy need to be over.”
The fight against unnecessary shredding is gaining momentum, led by forward-thinking organizations like the CDI and technology pioneers such as Seagate.
By embracing secure erasure methods, repurposing drives, and promoting responsible disposal practices, a brighter and more sustainable future for storage devices awaits—a future where innovation and environmental stewardship go hand in hand.