Home Compliance & Certification Physical Media Destruction Photo Guide

Physical Media Destruction Photo Guide

Last updated on Sep 25, 2025

1. Purpose of this Guide

This artefact proves your company securely destroys paper-based media so sensitive information doesn’t fall into enemy hands. Cyber Essentials requires this because forgotten printouts, contracts, or system reports can be a goldmine for attackers if left in the bin. A photo of your destruction process shows that you’re not leaving secrets lying around.

2. What You Will Submit

You will need:

  • A photo clearly showing:

    • The shredding or secure destruction process.

    • Equipment used (e.g., paper shredder, secure disposal bin).

    • Media being destroyed (blurred or redacted if sensitive text is visible).

3. How to Collect / Obtain / Generate This Evidence

Option A: Office Paper Shredder:

  1. Feed paper documents into the shredder.

  2. Photograph the shredder in action, showing documents being destroyed.

  3. If possible, capture the shredded output.

Option B: Secure Disposal Bins (locked consoles):

  1. Photograph the secure console/bin in your office.

  2. Ensure the lock is visible (to show restricted access).

  3. Optionally, include a collection tag from the disposal provider.

Option C: Third-Party Secure Disposal Service:

  1. Take a photo of the certificate of destruction provided by the vendor.

  2. (Optional) Photograph the vendor’s sealed collection bins being removed.

4. Evidence Format

  • Accepted file types: JPG, PNG, PDF.

  • Suggested naming format:
    YourCompanyName_PhysicalMediaDestruction_YYYY-MM-DD.jpg
    Example: AcmeCorp_PhysicalMediaDestruction_2025-07-01.jpg

5. What “Good” Looks Like

  • Clear evidence of destruction in progress or completed (not just a photo of a printer).

  • Secure destruction tool visible (cross-cut shredder, locked bin).

  • (If vendor-managed) proof of chain-of-custody or destruction certificate.

Why it matters: auditors want assurance that sensitive paper doesn’t just walk out the door in the recycling pile — it’s properly destroyed.

6. Tips

  • Blur/redact visible sensitive info before uploading.

  • If using a vendor, keep their certificates in your compliance folder.

  • Ideally, show regular practice, not just one-off destruction (e.g., photo of a labelled “Weekly Shred Bin”).