SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: Please give us a brief overview of ERI’s solutions (https://eridirect.com/services/) for digital security issues. What is your perspective on the market drivers for ERI services at this time?

John Shegerian: While data is in use, most business entities will have stringent physical and software based tracking and security protocols in place to protect their digital security, whether it be PII, classified information, or simply proprietary or copyrighted data. However, all equipment will eventually reach its end of life. The key to maintaining these security protocols is tracking the data location as well as ensuring the appropriate destruction level based on data sensitivity. ERI allows entities to track their devices through our MyTrackTech system from shipment down to individual part level. We provide various destruction levels at ERI’s own NAID certified facilities or onsite through our mobile shredding trucks.

Our facilities handle the data destruction, the recycling, and any revenue recovery and resale all onsite. This ensures that equipment is not transferred between various organizations, increasing the chance of data loss. When ERI started its company, responsible recycling was the main market driver to our business. However, the core focus has since become:

Ensuring proper handling and tracking of data

• Reducing costs by utilizing our national footprint and convenient service options.

• ERI’s certifications, including NAID, allow a company to more easily do their due diligence.

• Ensuring high levels of value recovery

• Finally, responsible management of material is still an important factor.

SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: Identity theft has never been more rampant (https://www.cbsnews.com/news/identity-theft-hits-record-high/) and we are all familiar with the headlines about Equifax, Uber and Orbitz breaches. What are your thoughts, John, regarding best practices that should be followed when disposing of electronic devices in this environment.

John Shegerian: The key to any security protocol is to minimize risk. Disposal of electronic devices must be part of an entity’s security protocols and planning from the start and not relegated to the IT team, facilities team, or branch locations. If it is not managed with risk in mind, due diligence and data risk are often sacrificed as risk of breach is not understood or is underestimated at those levels. An entity has to choose its data destruction provider the same way it would choose its network security software providers.

SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: We understand that you will be speaking at the upcoming Cyber Investing Summit (https://cyberinvestingsummit.com) May 15, 2018 in New York City. May we have a preview of the topics you’ll be discussing?

John Shegerian: Certainly. The Cyber Investing Summit is a terrific, cutting edge event and it’s an honor and privilege to be a returning presenter there. I’m part of a panel on cyber sector partnerships. Among other things, I’ll be talking about the fact that in this age of frequent cybercrime, identity theft and hardware hacking, it’s time for government agencies, businesses and individuals to all make securing digital data a top priority. Many are moving in that direction, but it’s surprising how many have not focused enough on this crucial situation. No matter who you are or how much you spend on cybersecurity services and software, if you don’t responsibly destroy or recycle your hardware and the information it contains, you are leaving the back door wide open to hackers.

Be it a government official’s laptop, a family smartphone or a business tablet, technology today is far too vulnerable to criminal attacks. Our personal privacy, businesses’ proprietary information and even data pertinent to our national security are at stake. The key is for everyone to remember to safely recycle all old and unwanted items at the end of their lifecycles with a trusted recycling company. This final step in the life of an electronic device is now more important than ever.

For the complete interview with John S. Shegerian, Executive Chairman, ERI, please click here:
http://www.securitysolutionswatch.com/Interviews/in_Boardroom_ERI_Shegerian.html