E-waste environmental and information security threat: GCC countries vulnerabilities

Abstract

The tremendous economic development in the GCC region over the past four decades has brought about unprecedented population and urbanization growth with a significant rise in standards of living. The effects of this growth include substantial increases in E-waste production. Compounded with the a recent spike in targeted cyber-attacks on oil and financial facilities in GCC countries, the motivation to mitigate as many of these attacks is paramount and yet, a little attention is paid to the amount of valuable data saved on stored on discarded electronic components (E-waste). This article reviews the current E-waste management practices in GCC countries including E-waste generated volume, disposal and reuse/recycle practices; forecasts E-waste production up to the year 2040, and discusses the long-term potential economic, security and environmental impact of E-waste in the GCC region. Furthermore, the article discusses the different security vulnerabilities that exist in e-waste and recommends actions relating to privacy and security of sensitive data stored on E-waste drives through closely monitored and controlled recycling procedures. The analysis shows that the total E-waste production will reach between 947 and 1090 thousand tons by 2040. The study findings highlight the need for a comprehensive review of the current E-waste management regulations in the GCC region to cope with the potential security and environmental challenges and highlight the economic potentials inherent in E-waste.