❓ A WA parliamentary question seeks information on policies and procedures for restricting unauthorised access to mobile devices and their disposal within the Minister's portfolio, revealing that while security measures exist, data is not classified as sensitive or confidential by most agencies.
AnsweredQoN 3185Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
In respect of the Minister’s portfolio responsibilities for any of their departments, agencies, government trading enterprises or boards, I ask: (a) Are there any policies or procedures in place for restricting unauthorised access to mobile devices (mobile phones, tablets and laptops): (i) If so, what are they; and (ii) If not, why not; (b) How many mobile devices have been disposed of in the following financial years and what was their disposal method (i.e. at auction): (i) 2015-16; (ii) 2016-17; and (iii) 2017-18; and (c) Were any of the mobile devices in (b)(i)-(iii) used to store sensitive or confidential information: (i) If so, what type of sensitive or confidential information; and (ii) If so, what measures are put in place to ensure this information is not retained on the hard-drive of the device upon it's disposal?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
15 August 2018
Responded by
Minister for Local Government; Heritage; Culture and the Arts
Response time
10 days
Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (DLGSC)
(a) Yes.
(i) All mobile and tablet devices must have a Security PIN set to unlock the device at the time of handover to the user. All laptops are restricted access to unauthorised users by requirement of a local and/or network authenticated Windows/Mac OS login.
(ii) Not applicable
(b)(i) 30 - CUA authorised disposal also hard drive removal/destruction and auction.
(ii-iii) Nil
(c)(i) Not applicable – DLGSC does not classify data as sensitive or confidential
(ii) Regardless of data sensitivity the Departments disposal methods are always used to remove and destroy storage and/or devices through authorised CUA contracts. No data is retained on the device upon disposal.
Art Gallery of Western Australia
(a) Yes
(i) Managed in accordance with DLGSC policy.
(ii) Not applicable
(b)(i) Nil
(ii) 2 iPads. Deletion of duplicate asset numbers from 2012.
(iii) Nil
(c)(i) Not applicable – AGWA does not classify data as sensitive or confidential.
(ii) Regardless of data sensitivity the disposal methods are always used to remove and destroy storage and/or devices through authorised CUA contracts. No data is retained upon on the device disposal.
State Library of Western Australia
(a) Yes
(i) Managed in accordance with DLGSC policy.
(ii) Not applicable
(b)(i) 20 laptops donated to a charitable institution as per State Supply Commission instructions.
(ii) Nil
(iii) One laptop donated to a charitable institution as per State Supply Commission instructions.
(c)(i) Not applicable – State Library does not classify data as sensitive or confidential.
(ii) Regardless of data sensitivity the Departments disposal methods are always used to remove and destroy storage and/or devices through authorised CUA contracts. No data is retained on the device upon disposal.
State Records Office
(a) Yes.
(i) Managed in accordance with DLGSC policy.
(ii) Not applicable
(b)(i-iii) Nil
(c)(i-ii) Not applicable
Perth Theatre Trust
(a) Yes
(i) Managed in accordance with DLGSC policy.
(ii) Not applicable.
(b)(i) 4 laptops decommissioned and destroyed.
(ii-iii) Nil
(c)(i) Not applicable – PTT does not classify data as sensitive or confidential.
(ii) Regardless of data sensitivity the disposal methods are always used to remove and destroy storage and/or devices through authorised CUA contracts. No data is retained on the device upon disposal.
Western Australian Museum
(a) Yes.
(i) All mobile and tablet devices must have a Security PIN set to unlock the device at the time of handover to the user. All laptops are restricted access to unauthorised users by requirement of a local and/or network authenticated Windows/Mac OS login.
(ii) Not applicable
(b)(i-iii) Nil
(c)(i-ii) Not applicable
Metropolitan Cemeteries Board
(a) Yes
(i) Provision and use of mobile phones policy. Information security policy.
(ii) Not Applicable
(b)(i) 30 phones recycled; 1 notebook recycled; 9 phones internal tender and auction; 4 tablets internal tender and auction.
(ii) 3 laptops recycled
(iii) 6 phones internal tender and auction; 1 tablet internal tender and auction; 8 laptops internal tender and auction; 9 laptops recycled
(c)(i) MCB does not classify data as sensitive or confidential.
(ii) Regardless of data sensitivity there is documented procedure/form in place to erase, check and authorise disposal. DBAN software utility has been used to erase this data from 2018. This is also supplemented by a final routine procedure to factory reset and/or hard disk reimage in some instances.
National Trust of Western Australia
(a) Yes
(i) Only National Trust staff (authorised users) may access or use mobile devices which are password protected and need to be signed out to use by the authorised users.
(b)(i-ii) Nil
(iii) 5 laptops (hard drives removed, wiped and destroyed - laptops sent to recycling facility).
(c) National Trust does not classify data as sensitive or confidential.
(i-ii) Regardless of data sensitivity the National Trust’s disposal methods are always used to remove and destroy storage and/or devices. No data is retained on the device upon disposal.
Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage
(a) Please refer to the answer to Legislative Assembly Question on Notice 3179.
Former State Heritage Office (including Heritage Council)
(b)(i) Nil
(ii) 20 – eWaste
(iii) Not applicable
(c) No
(i-ii) Not applicable
(a) Yes.
(i) All mobile and tablet devices must have a Security PIN set to unlock the device at the time of handover to the user. All laptops are restricted access to unauthorised users by requirement of a local and/or network authenticated Windows/Mac OS login.
(ii) Not applicable
(b)(i) 30 - CUA authorised disposal also hard drive removal/destruction and auction.
(ii-iii) Nil
(c)(i) Not applicable – DLGSC does not classify data as sensitive or confidential
(ii) Regardless of data sensitivity the Departments disposal methods are always used to remove and destroy storage and/or devices through authorised CUA contracts. No data is retained on the device upon disposal.
Art Gallery of Western Australia
(a) Yes
(i) Managed in accordance with DLGSC policy.
(ii) Not applicable
(b)(i) Nil
(ii) 2 iPads. Deletion of duplicate asset numbers from 2012.
(iii) Nil
(c)(i) Not applicable – AGWA does not classify data as sensitive or confidential.
(ii) Regardless of data sensitivity the disposal methods are always used to remove and destroy storage and/or devices through authorised CUA contracts. No data is retained upon on the device disposal.
State Library of Western Australia
(a) Yes
(i) Managed in accordance with DLGSC policy.
(ii) Not applicable
(b)(i) 20 laptops donated to a charitable institution as per State Supply Commission instructions.
(ii) Nil
(iii) One laptop donated to a charitable institution as per State Supply Commission instructions.
(c)(i) Not applicable – State Library does not classify data as sensitive or confidential.
(ii) Regardless of data sensitivity the Departments disposal methods are always used to remove and destroy storage and/or devices through authorised CUA contracts. No data is retained on the device upon disposal.
State Records Office
(a) Yes.
(i) Managed in accordance with DLGSC policy.
(ii) Not applicable
(b)(i-iii) Nil
(c)(i-ii) Not applicable
Perth Theatre Trust
(a) Yes
(i) Managed in accordance with DLGSC policy.
(ii) Not applicable.
(b)(i) 4 laptops decommissioned and destroyed.
(ii-iii) Nil
(c)(i) Not applicable – PTT does not classify data as sensitive or confidential.
(ii) Regardless of data sensitivity the disposal methods are always used to remove and destroy storage and/or devices through authorised CUA contracts. No data is retained on the device upon disposal.
Western Australian Museum
(a) Yes.
(i) All mobile and tablet devices must have a Security PIN set to unlock the device at the time of handover to the user. All laptops are restricted access to unauthorised users by requirement of a local and/or network authenticated Windows/Mac OS login.
(ii) Not applicable
(b)(i-iii) Nil
(c)(i-ii) Not applicable
Metropolitan Cemeteries Board
(a) Yes
(i) Provision and use of mobile phones policy. Information security policy.
(ii) Not Applicable
(b)(i) 30 phones recycled; 1 notebook recycled; 9 phones internal tender and auction; 4 tablets internal tender and auction.
(ii) 3 laptops recycled
(iii) 6 phones internal tender and auction; 1 tablet internal tender and auction; 8 laptops internal tender and auction; 9 laptops recycled
(c)(i) MCB does not classify data as sensitive or confidential.
(ii) Regardless of data sensitivity there is documented procedure/form in place to erase, check and authorise disposal. DBAN software utility has been used to erase this data from 2018. This is also supplemented by a final routine procedure to factory reset and/or hard disk reimage in some instances.
National Trust of Western Australia
(a) Yes
(i) Only National Trust staff (authorised users) may access or use mobile devices which are password protected and need to be signed out to use by the authorised users.
(b)(i-ii) Nil
(iii) 5 laptops (hard drives removed, wiped and destroyed - laptops sent to recycling facility).
(c) National Trust does not classify data as sensitive or confidential.
(i-ii) Regardless of data sensitivity the National Trust’s disposal methods are always used to remove and destroy storage and/or devices. No data is retained on the device upon disposal.
Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage
(a) Please refer to the answer to Legislative Assembly Question on Notice 3179.
Former State Heritage Office (including Heritage Council)
(b)(i) Nil
(ii) 20 – eWaste
(iii) Not applicable
(c) No
(i-ii) Not applicable
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