ASD ISM 1517 Microform destruction using fine powder method
What it says
Equipment that is capable of reducing microform to a fine powder, with resultant particles not showing more than five consecutive characters per particle upon microscopic inspection, is used to destroy microfiche and microfilm.
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What it means
In plain EnglishMachines destroy microfiche by turning them into fine powder so no more than five characters remain per fragment.
This control requires that any documents stored on microfiche or microfilm are destroyed by turning them into a fine powder, so you can't read more than a handful of letters or numbers from any single piece. This is important because if old or sensitive documents aren't destroyed properly, there's a risk someone could steal or misuse the information, leading to breaches of privacy, financial loss, or harm to your reputation.
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Why it matters
Failure to properly destroy microfiche can lead to data leaks, as fragments may be reassembled and sensitive information exposed.
How to implement
Facility managers should ensure they have the right equipment: Identify whether the organisation has a machine that can pulverise microfiche and microfilm into fine powder.
If you don't have one, consult with reputable suppliers for purchasing or outsourcing the destruction process to a certified provider.
Procurement teams should choose recognised suppliers: When purchasing or hiring a service for destroying microform, select from vendors who guarantee the destruction method meets the required standard.
Verify their credentials and request references to ensure credibility.
Office managers need to establish handling and logging procedures: Develop a procedure for tracking and securely transporting microfiche and microfilm to the destruction site.
Maintain a log of items scheduled for destruction, ensuring traceability from storage to final destruction.
Staff training teams should educate employees: Organise training for staff handling microfiche destruction on how to securely manage and prepare media, emphasising the importance of tracking and procedure adherence.
Quality control personnel should monitor processes: Regularly review the destruction process by physically inspecting destroyed samples under a microscope to confirm compliance with the control's requirement.
Document each inspection for accountability.
Keep it running
Service and calibrate microform destruction equipment on schedule to ensure it reduces microfiche/microfilm to fine powder, with no particle showing more than five consecutive characters.
Evidence and audit
- Check 1 of 5What an auditor asks for
Ask for
The list of equipment used for destruction: Request documentation on the specific machines or services used for reducing microform to powder.
Look at
The model numbers and specifications to ensure they match the control requirements.
Good evidence
The organisation uses machinery capable of reducing microform to no more than five characters visible per fragment.
- Check 2 of 5What an auditor asks for
Ask for
Vendor compliance certificates: Request proof of compliance from any external vendors involved in microform destruction.
Look at
Industry certifications or third-party audit reports confirming adherence to standards.
Good evidence
All vendors provide up-to-date compliance certificates and customer references.
- Check 3 of 5What an auditor asks for
Ask for
The destruction log records: Review records of microfiche and microfilm destruction actions.
Look at
Complete entries detailing what was destroyed and by whom.
Good evidence
Logs are complete, clearly document the lifecycle of each piece from handling to destruction, and match microfiche records.
- Check 4 of 5What an auditor asks for
Ask for
Employee training records: Review records showing when staff were trained in secure destruction practices.
Look at
Dated training attendance sheets or certification of completion.
Good evidence
Complete training records showing all relevant staff have received up-to-date training within the last year.
- Check 5 of 5What an auditor asks for
Ask for
To observe inspection process: Request a demonstration of the sample inspection process for destroyed microform.
Look at
A structured inspection that follows documented procedures.
Good evidence
Observed inspection uses a microscope to confirm compliance, with findings recorded immediately and ranged samples checked.
Mappings
Closest match in ISO/IEC 27001: A.7.10, Secure management of storage media, which this control partially meets.
ISO/IEC 27001: 1 mapping
This control partially meets A.7.10.
ISM-1517 requires microfiche and microfilm to be destroyed using equipment that reduces the microform to a fine powder, with no particle showing more than five consecutive characters. This is a specific disposal requirement for one media type within the storage media life cycle that Annex A 7.10 requires to be managed, including disposal in line with classification and handling requirements. Annex A 7.10 covers all storage media across acquisition, use, transport and disposal, while ISM-1517 prescribes only the destruction standard for microform.
Mappings show how controls relate across frameworks. They do not imply full equivalence or certification.