What is ISO 27001 Annex A 7.14 Secure Disposal or Re-Use of Equipment in ISO 27001?
ISO 27001 Annex A 7.14 is a documented procedure for handling end-of-life hardware. It ensures data destruction before disposal or reallocation. Organisations manage this via internal tools like SharePoint and Jira. This approach maintains security during the decommissioning phase of the asset lifecycle.
Auditor’s Eye: The Shortcut Trap
Many firms rely on SaaS compliance platforms that only store generic disposal policies. These platforms offer a green tick but ignore physical reality. Auditors require the actual destruction certificate linked to a specific hardware ID. We look for the Jira audit trail where a manager authorised the shredding. Reliance on “Black Box” software often leads to a lack of management ownership. Keep your evidence in native repositories to prove the process works.
| 2013 Standard Control | 2022 Standard Control | Primary Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| A.11.2.7 Secure disposal or re-use of equipment | A.7.14 Secure disposal or re-use of equipment | Ensure storage media are made unrecoverable before disposal. |
How to Implement ISO 27001 Annex A 7.14 (Step-by-Step)
Secure disposal requires a workflow integrated into your daily operations. Follow these steps using your existing internal tools.
- Identify hardware ready for disposal in your SharePoint Asset Register.
- Assess the sensitivity of any data stored on the device.
- Create a Jira ticket to track the asset through decommissioning.
- Perform a secure data wipe or physical destruction.
- Obtain a certificate of destruction from your vendor.
- Upload the certificate to the asset record in SharePoint.
- Close the Jira ticket after final management verification.
ISO 27001 Annex A 7.14 Secure Disposal or Re-Use of Equipment Audit Evidence Checklist
Focus on manual records that prove human oversight and intent. Auditors check for consistency between your inventories and disposal logs.
- Physical certificates of destruction with matching asset tags.
- Internal sign-off logs within your Jira workflow system.
- Updated SharePoint Asset Register showing “Disposed” or “Reallocated” status.
- Service Level Agreements with disposal vendors stored in Confluence.
- Historical versions of your disposal policy in SharePoint.
Relational Mapping
Annex A 7.14 depends on several other ISO 27001 controls for success:
- Annex A 5.9: Inventory of information and other associated assets.
- Annex A 7.10: Storage media throughout its lifecycle.
- Annex A 8.10: Information deletion according to policy.
Auditor Interview: Process Management
Auditor: How do you confirm equipment is safe for disposal?
Manager: We follow a strict decommissioning workflow managed in Jira.
Auditor: Where do you keep the evidence of data destruction?
Manager: Every destruction certificate is uploaded to our SharePoint document library.
Auditor: How do you handle assets being moved between staff?
Manager: IT wipes the device and records the action in the asset log.
Common Non-Conformities
| Failure Mode | Audit Finding | Corrective Action |
|---|---|---|
| Automated Complacency | Policy exists in SaaS but no destruction certificates found. | Implement a certificate upload process in SharePoint. |
| Unverified Wipe | Equipment reallocated without proof of data removal. | Use a standardised wipe log in Jira. |
| Inventory Mismatch | Assets marked as active are physically in the waste bin. | Perform quarterly reconciliations of the Asset Register. |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is ISO 27001 Annex A 7.14?
The Bottom Line: It is the requirement to sanitise hardware before disposal. You must ensure no data can be recovered from old equipment. Use your organisational SharePoint to store wipe logs and certificates. This proves to auditors that your data protection programme is active.
How does secure re-use differ from disposal?
The Bottom Line: Re-use requires data removal but keeps the asset active. You must wipe the device before a new user receives it. Document this reset in your Jira helpdesk system. Update your Asset Register to show the new location or owner.
Is physical destruction always required?
The Bottom Line: No, secure overwriting is often acceptable for re-use. Physical destruction is best for hardware that is no longer functional. Always match the method to the risk level of the data. Record your chosen method in the decommissioning Jira ticket.