ASD ISM 1076 Sanitise screen burn-in with a solid white image
What it says
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.
Quoted as published. Everything else on this page is written by Control Stack.
What it means
In plain EnglishTelevisions 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.
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.
Free. Save your status, tasks and notes.
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.
How to implement
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.
Keep it running
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.
Evidence and audit
- Check 1 of 5What an auditor asks for
Ask for
Ask how the organisation identifies televisions and monitors with minor burn-in or image persistence before those screens are reused, reassigned or disposed of.
Look at
Look at the inspection step or checklist used to flag affected screens, and whether it is applied to every television and monitor leaving service.
Good evidence
Every television and monitor is checked for burn-in or image persistence before it moves on, and affected screens are set aside for sanitisation.
- Check 2 of 5What an auditor asks for
Ask for
Ask for the sanitisation records for screens found to have burn-in or image persistence.
Look at
Look for entries showing a solid, full-screen white image was displayed for an extended period, with the date and the duration noted for each screen.
Good evidence
Each affected screen has a record showing the white image treatment was applied for an extended period, with date and duration captured.
- Check 3 of 5What an auditor asks for
Ask for
Ask what duration is used for the white image treatment and how staff decide a screen has been displaying it long enough.
Look at
Look at the documented procedure or guidance staff follow, and check the durations recorded against it.
Good evidence
Staff follow a defined, extended display period for the white image, and recorded durations are consistent with that guidance rather than left to guesswork.
- Check 4 of 5What an auditor asks for
Ask for
Ask to see the re-inspection step performed after the white image treatment.
Look at
Look for records confirming the ghost image was gone before the screen was released, and for repeat treatments where it was not.
Good evidence
Screens are re-inspected after treatment, only released once the residual image is gone, and treated again where persistence remains.
- Check 5 of 5What an auditor asks for
Ask for
Ask for a demonstration or walkthrough of the end-to-end process for a recently sanitised television or monitor.
Look at
Look at whether the identification, sustained full-screen white image treatment, re-inspection and logging steps are all present and completed before the device moves on.
Good evidence
The whole process is followed and logged for each affected device, from identifying burn-in through to confirming the residual image is gone before reuse or disposal.
Mappings
Closest match in ISO/IEC 27001: A.7.14, Secure disposal or re-use of equipment, which this control partially meets.
ISO/IEC 27001: 1 mapping
This control partially meets A.7.14.
ISM-1076 requires televisions and computer monitors with minor burn-in or image persistence to be sanitised by displaying a solid white image for an extended period. This is a specific sanitisation technique for removing residual sensitive information from display equipment, which aligns with the Annex A 7.14 requirement to verify that sensitive data has been removed or overwritten before equipment is disposed of or re-used. Annex A 7.14 covers all equipment containing storage media, while ISM-1076 addresses only residual images on displays.
Mappings show how controls relate across frameworks. They do not imply full equivalence or certification.