Device reuse is the practice of assigning old hardware a new role instead of discarding it. A retired smart display, router, laptop, or phone might become a monitor, media player, sensor, or spare endpoint. Reuse can reduce waste and cost, but in security terms the device does not become new just because its job changes.
Old hardware may still carry stored credentials, paired accounts, outdated firmware, cached data, or network access paths from its original life. That matters because attackers often target overlooked devices that remain connected but poorly maintained. Defenders use device reuse carefully by wiping data, removing old accounts, updating firmware, restricting permissions, and reviewing whether the device still needs internet access at all. A formal trust review helps ensure the device’s new role matches its actual exposure.