University Policies and Procedures Manual (previously Business Policies and Procedures Manual)

System Decommission and Data Destruction

UPPM 87.72

For more information contact:
   Information Technology Services

1.0     Overview and Purpose

1.1      Information Assurance Policies Generally

The purposes of the information assurance policies in UPPM Chapter 87: Information Technology and Security are to:

  • Set requirements to ensure the privacy, confidentiality, integrity, and availability of Washington State University (WSU) data;
  • Support institutional goals and strategies with appropriate methods for administratively, technically, and operationally protecting data; and
  • Define the criteria WSU follows to meet requirements for protecting data, which are determined by Information Owners.

The policies in this chapter comply with Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS 199), which are intended to help organizations achieve a common level of quality and interoperability in information technology (IT) by requiring categorization of systems as low-impact, moderate-impact, or high-impact for the stated security objectives of confidentiality, integrity, and availability. To determine the potential consequence of a loss event, the Federal Information Processing Standards:

  • Define WSU Information Owners’ impact categorization rating (Low, Moderate, or High);
  • Dictate which security controls are mandatory based upon the categorization level;
  • Define the strength, frequency, and formalization of those controls; and
  • Influence audit burden and continuous monitoring rigor.

See UPPM 87.01 for definitions, general information, and violations related to this policy, as well as additional information regarding roles and responsibilities.

1.2      Specific Policy Overview and Purpose

The protection of WSU information and IT systems requires that all retired systems, devices, and applications are securely decommissioned, and data is permanently removed or destroyed. By setting forth requirements for system decommission and data destruction, this policy minimizes the risk of unauthorized access, data breaches, and potential institutional liability.

2.0    Applicability

This policy applies to all WSU system users who have contact with, or potentially may have contact with, WSU data, applications, and computing resources.

Security control exceptions to policy statements in UPPM Chapter 87 are managed and maintained in accordance with UPPM 87.23.

3.0    Roles and Responsibilities

3.1      Chief Information Officer

The Chief Information Officer (CIO) of WSU, or designee, is responsible for administering this policy and reviewing it on an annual basis.

3.2     Information System Owners

WSU Information System Owners, or their delegates, are responsible and accountable for developing appropriate Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for this policy’s implementation. 

3.3     Office of Information Security and Assurance (OISA)

WSU’s Office of Information Security and Assurance (OISA) shall maintain the standard (PDF) associated with this policy and provide guidance for the associated procedures for the implementation of this policy (see examples (PDF)).

Note: While all units are required to adhere to the standard established by OISA (NIST SP 800-53), procedural examples for implementation are optional.

4.0   Requirements

4.1     General Requirements

Information System Owners, or their delegates, must:

  • Remove all computing devices from WSU networks when they are no longer in use, in accordance with UPPM 87.10 and 87.30;
  • Designate equipment coordinators or business asset tracking specialists to track and manage assets for which they are responsible, in accordance with UPPM 20.50;
  • When technically and operationally feasible, sanitize WSU information systems prior to system disposal. Sanitization mechanism strength is to be commensurate with the highest level of data classification stored on the system being disposed (see UPPM 90.01 and 20.76 for details);
  • Take appropriate measures to verify and document that system sanitization actions have occurred when sanitizing WSU information systems. Due care must be taken to ensure that information is not recoverable using available forensic tools when a computer and/or its storage media are scheduled for surplus sales or another reuse either within or outside of WSU;
  • Regularly test sanitization equipment and procedures to ensure continued effectiveness; and
  • Educate all users of WSU information systems within their area of responsibility on proper methods of disposing those WSU information systems and the destruction of WSU Institutional Information in accordance with UPPM 87.21.

4.2     Moderate- and High-Impact Systems

In addition to the above, the following requirement applies to all moderate- and high-impact systems.

WSU Information System Owners, or their delegates, must update their system inventory when moderate- and high-impact WSU information systems are removed from the environment.  

4.3     High-Impact Systems

In addition to the above, the following requirement applies to all high-impact systems.

WSU must sanitize portable storage devices to ensure they are free of malicious code before they are connected to any high-impact WSU information system.  

5.0    Training

See UPPM 87.21 for training requirements related to UPPM Chapter 87.

In addition to the requirements in UPPM 87.21, Information System Owners are responsible for ensuring that users receive appropriate information security and privacy training commensurate with their roles, responsibilities, and authorized access to information systems under the Information System Owner’s authority.

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Revisions: Feb. 2026 (Rev. 651 – NEW).