Blancco announces new Chromebook data sanitization capabilities

Blancco Technology Group, a data erasure and mobile lifecycle solutions company based in Austin, has announced the Blancco Drive Eraser can now support Chromebook data sanitization. The Blancco Drive Eraser now provides organizations, IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) service providers and academic institutions with efficient and secure data sanitization for Chromebooks.  

Blancco says the product decreases time spent erasing each device and can preserve its native operating system, speeding the preparation for reuse. Once wiped, the drive confirms data sanitization has been completed and provides a tamper-proof digitally signed certificate of erasure to support regulatory compliance and reporting mandates.  

Alan Bentley, the president of global strategy for Blancco, says the popularity of “budget-friendly” Chromebooks skyrocketed during the pandemic. This is a result of schools issuing Chromebooks for students to use for distance learning and organizations equipping employees who began to work remotely with them.  

“While most students have returned to the classroom and employees are increasingly coming back to offices, the demand for Chromebooks has not waned,” Bentley says. “One forecast predicts nearly 30 million Chromebooks will be shipped globally in 2022, a decrease of 21 percent from 2021 but more than double the number of units recorded in 2019. As more of these devices enter the ecosystem, and as more organizations look to be participants in the circular economy, they need a solution that allows them to quickly and safely reuse these devices.”  

The company says the Blancco Drive Eraser’s UI is ergonomically designed for a quick and seamless erasure process. The solution’s auditable process drives simplified compliance reporting. Together, both features represent a time saver for organizations, especially those handling the data sanitization of hundreds or thousands of Chromebooks.  

“The recent surge in Chromebook usage means these devices have become repositories for massive amounts of corporate data and Personally Identifiable Information, two types of sensitive information that could pose serious security risks should the devices not be thoroughly sanitized before reuse or disposal,” Bentley says. “By expanding the capabilities of Blancco Drive Eraser to support Chromebooks, we are now able to give our ITAD partners and other organizations the ability to ensure device data is rendered completely unrecoverable. This capability allows them to confidently reuse or sell end-of-life devices instead of adding to the growing electronic waste crisis in our landfills.”  

Secure data sanitization for Chromebook is now available as part of Blancco Drive Eraser at no extra cost. For more information, click here.