In cybersecurity, disposal is the secure retirement of devices, storage media, accounts, or data that are no longer needed. It includes choosing an approved handling route and, where appropriate, sanitizing or physically destroying media so sensitive information cannot be recovered.
Improper disposal can expose credentials, customer records, or internal files. Attackers may search discarded equipment or recover data from devices that were merely deleted or reformatted. Defenses include documented disposal procedures, encryption, verified data wiping or destruction, and records showing that retired assets were handled correctly. The right method depends on the media, the sensitivity of the data, and applicable retention requirements.