DIFFERENT DATA WIPING METHODS

 

DIFFERENT DATA WIPING METHODS

There is statistical evidence supported by multiple secure wiping companies that indicate that, in countries such as Argentina, Chile, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Germany, Honduras, India, Mexico, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Brazil, and Uruguay, two out of three companies face severe data management problems and risks. There is a life cycle in the use of data, and all must be managed appropriately throughout this period, from its capture to its destruction. The secure hard drive wipe process is an essential part of data management. At the end of the data life cycle, companies can store it for later use, or to wipe and destroy it. Secure file deletion is the deletion process that makes data unreadable or unrecoverable. There are different types of options to delete files,

 

Experts from secure wiping company mention that there are different methods of secure erasing of hard drive. It is the responsibility of the companies to categorize the data that will be destroyed according to the devices used for storage, level of confidentiality and future plans for these devices. With the help of secure file wiping professionals, companies can decide on the appropriate method to carry out secure data wiping. Additionally, after files are permanently deleted, companies must implement a review process to verify the effectiveness of each solution or service.

 

The most common methods for secure Data Wiping are:

Cleaning method

This method uses tools or devices to overwrite storage space on hard drives, solid-state drives, and PCs that store non-sensitive information, so that this data can be replaced by other data without compromising confidential information. Using this secure hard disk wipe method allows the logical storage address and user storage address to be overwritten. It is worth mentioning that you cannot safely wipe your hard drive, solid state drives or PC if the drive is corrupted or overwriting is not allowed by default.

 

In the case of smartphones (which are not actually considered storage devices), the cleaning method involves restoring the device to its factory state. According to specialists in digital wiping tools, some devices do not directly support overwriting, so only the removal of file indicators is allowed. Digital wiping solutions must ensure that the device interface prevents recovery of deleted data from a hard drive.

 

Purge method

This secure Data Wiping method uses physical or logical methods that make it impossible to recover data, even with the help of the most advanced tools. Block Wipe and Crypto Wipe are an integral part of the purge method and are highly effective for secure file wiping. Testimonials from firms that have employed some secure hard drive wiping method claim that degaussing (also known as degaussing) can be considered a purging method. To wipe or recover a hard drive, professionals must consider the strength of the degaussing and ensure that it matches the coercivity of the devices. However, degaussing cannot be used to securely wipe files on devices that do not contain magnetic storage.

Destroy method

This method aids in wiping but makes it unfeasible to wipe data and recover hard drive, ensuring that the devices cannot be used again for data storage. According to specialists for the safe wiping of hard drives, there are multiple methods to wipe files and destroy devices, which will be summarized below:

 

·         Decay, pulverize, melt, and incinerate : These methods are designed to completely destroy devices such as hard drives, solid-state drives, and PCs and safely wipe data. These methods are performed by various wiping and recovery providers at facilities outside of the customer. The providers of these services must demonstrate the ability to wipe data on a hard drive or any information stored on these devices effectively and safely.

 

·         Shredding: In this method, industrial shredders are used to destroy the devices so that their reconstruction is impossible. Recommendations issued by hard drive recovery firms mention that the remains of these devices must be small enough so that the information cannot be recovered, so the shredding process must be repeated more than once. In addition, some firms resort to mixing the shredded material with other materials to make the recovery process even more difficult.

Methods for Secure Data Wipe Review

Reviewing secure data wiping processes is an essential step in maintaining confidentiality. The review must be performed by personnel who are not part of the secure data wiping services. In general there are two different methods for reviewing secure data wiping services.

§  Full Review: In this method the review is applied to each device. This method of reviewing services is very detailed, so it could take a long time.

§  Sampling Review: In this method the review is applied to a selected subset of the formatted devices. Although it is not a thorough method, it is faster.

Review of secure formatting equipment or tools

According to the company of secure wiping of hard disk, the review of the processes of secure wiping of data is not the only guarantee demanded by the companies. If a company is using digital wipe or secure formatting devices or tools, these devices should also be regularly checked and maintained. Some digital wipe solutions include devices such as degaussing and standalone hard drive secure wipe machines.

Review of competencies in secure wiping

This is an important element, along with reviewing the processes for secure data wiping services. Companies should review the competencies and experience of the service provider and ensure that their employees receive secure data wiping training during the implementation of this process. 

Review results in secure wipe

The purpose of this review is to verify that the secure hard drive wipe was indeed completed. Most companies do not have access to a hard drive recovery lab for verification. That is why digital wiping or secure formatting companies implement a test to determine the success of the process. During a thorough review, the disk must be read in its entirety to verify that there is no data on it. This type of review will take a lot of time and effort, but companies must ensure the effectiveness of the secure formatting process.

 

Secure wipe tools experts mention that companies can choose the sampling review method to verify the effectiveness of digital wiping, although they must take into account some considerations involved in this method:

·         There are different safe formatting tools on the market to wipe and recover hard drives that do not completely delete the files on the device. To do a secure hard drive wipe, professionals will need to review pseudo-random addresses during secure hard drive wipe and select subsections of the hard drive for verification. The best way to perform Secure Hard Drive Wipe is to select at least two pseudo-random addresses within each selected subsection. In the industry of secure hard drive wipe services, it is considered standard to cover at least 5% of the selected subsections.

 

·         Another important point to keep in mind during the sample review is to select the first and last addresses on the storage device as some digital wipe tools do not delete the data from the first and last addresses on the disk.

 

·         For wiping of encrypted data, the sample review process must work differently, since the content of the original data is unknown and comparison is not possible. When companies use encrypted Data wiping, there are multiple options for verification, each using a quick review of a subset of the devices. Secure Hard Disk Wipe consists of a selection of pseudo-random addresses in different subsections for sampling. However, the process consists of searching for files in known places and therefore the percentage of addressable area is relatively small, according to data recovery experts.

 

·         During the process review, it is also advisable to select a subset of devices for review, using different tools. According to the recommendations of hard disk wiping companies, at least 25% of the cleaned devices should be considered during this review. This review method will help you to compare and validate the effectiveness of the solutions.

Businesses can, in conjunction with secure DATA WIPING professionals, easily decide which method is appropriate for their requirements, as well as train their staff during this process.