Sanitise Screen Burn-In With a Solid White Image
Televisions and computer monitors that show minor burn-in or image persistence must be sanitised by displaying a solid white image on the screen for an extended period before the device is reused, reassigned, or disposed of. Burn-in happens when the same image (for example a dashboard, a menu bar, or a window showing sensitive data) is shown in a fixed position for a long time and leaves a faint permanent "ghost" of that image baked into the display. Because that ghost can reveal information that was previously on the screen, it is a data remanence problem, not just a cosmetic one. Filling the entire screen with a bright, solid white image for a sustained period evens out the wear on the screen and fades the ghost image so the residual content can no longer be read.
Plain language
When a screen shows the same thing in the same spot for a very long time, a faint copy of that image can get permanently stuck on the display. This is called burn-in or image persistence. If the stuck image happens to be sensitive information, anyone who later looks at that screen could still make it out, which is a security risk when the device is handed on, reassigned, or thrown away. The fix for minor burn-in is simple: show a solid white image that fills the whole screen and leave it running for a long stretch of time. The bright white evens out the wear and fades the ghost image so the old content can no longer be recognised. This control applies to both televisions and computer monitors, and it must be done before the screen leaves your control or moves to a less trusted use.
Framework
ASD Information Security Manual (ISM)
Control effect
Responsive
Classifications
NC, OS, P, S, TS
ISM last updated
June 2026
Control Stack last updated
18 June 2026
E8 maturity levels
N/A
Official control statement
Televisions and computer monitors with minor burn-in or image persistence are sanitised by displaying a solid white image on the screen for an extended period.
Why it matters
Untreated burn-in can leave a readable ghost of sensitive information permanently on a screen, exposing that data when the device is reused or disposed of.
Operational notes
Build the white-image step into your screen reuse and disposal workflow, run it for an extended period, and re-inspect to confirm the residual image is gone before releasing the device.
Implementation tips
- IT support staff inspect every television and computer monitor before reuse, reassignment, or disposal, looking closely for a faint fixed image or ghosting that stays visible when the picture changes.
- IT support staff display a solid white image that fills the entire screen, edge to edge, with no menu bars, taskbars, or windows left on top that would leave parts of the screen untreated.
- IT support staff leave the white image running for an extended period (commonly several hours, and longer for more noticeable burn-in) rather than a few minutes, because faint persistence only fades with sustained display time.
- IT support staff re-inspect the screen after the white image has finished and repeat the process if any ghost image can still be made out, only releasing the device once the persistence is gone.
- IT asset coordinators record which screens were treated, the date, how long the white image ran, and the result, so there is proof each affected display was sanitised before it moved on.
Audit / evidence tips
- Askhow the organisation identifies televisions and monitors with burn-in or image persistence before those screens are reused, reassigned, or disposed of
- Look atrecords showing affected screens had a solid, full-screen white image displayed for an extended period, with the date and the duration noted
- Askwhat duration is used for the white image treatment and how staff decide a screen has been displaying it long enough
- Look ata re-inspection step in the records confirming the ghost image was gone before the screen was released, with repeat treatments where it was not
- GOOD-ANSWER: every affected TV and monitor is checked for burn-in, treated with a sustained full-screen white image, re-inspected to confirm the residual image is gone, and the whole process is logged before the device moves on.
Cross-framework mappings
How ISM-1076 relates to controls across ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 42001, Essential Eight, and ASD ISM.
ISO 27001
| Control | Notes | Details |
|---|---|---|
sync_altPartially overlaps(1)expand_less | ||
| Annex A 7.7 | ISM-1076 requires televisions and computer monitors with minor burn-in or image persistence to be sanitised by displaying a solid white i... | |
These mappings show relationships between controls across frameworks. They do not imply full equivalence or certification.
Related ASD ISM controls in Information technology equipment
See all Guidelines for information technology equipment controls, or browse the full ASD ISM library.