If a security container is no longer in service, when should its combination be changed?

If a security container is no longer in service, when should its combination be changed?

• A. Immediately
• B. After relocation
• C. At the next quarterly review
• D. When the container is taken out of service

Answer: (D)

When a security container is retired or taken out of service, its combination should be changed. This resets access to the device as part of proper lifecycle management, ensuring that anyone who may still know the old combination cannot access a decommissioned asset. Re-keying at the moment of decommission aligns access control with the container’s status, preventing potential misuse if the container is no longer in active use. Relocating it or waiting for a quarterly review doesn’t guarantee immediate protection; relocation may still leave the container in use or accessible, and quarterly timing could create a window where the old combination could be exploited. Changing the combination at the point it’s taken out of service ensures access is truly revoked as part of decommissioning.

When a security container is retired or taken out of service, its combination should be changed. This resets access to the device as part of proper lifecycle management, ensuring that anyone who may still know the old combination cannot access a decommissioned asset. Re-keying at the moment of decommission aligns access control with the container’s status, preventing potential misuse if the container is no longer in active use.

Relocating it or waiting for a quarterly review doesn’t guarantee immediate protection; relocation may still leave the container in use or accessible, and quarterly timing could create a window where the old combination could be exploited. Changing the combination at the point it’s taken out of service ensures access is truly revoked as part of decommissioning.