

Today, internal operating manuals based on NIST 800-88 Media Sanitization Guidelines (see our blog on NIST) usually specify two kinds of procedures: The process of removing data from storage media has been examined by different government agencies and organizations several times during the past 20 years. But how many overwriting passes are sufficient? Or, as some put it, how many times do you write ones, zeroes, or other junk data to a hard drive before it is completely wiped? The Evolution of HDD Data Removal Procedures The safest and most cost-effective way to make data disappear without having to destroy a hard disk is to simply overwrite it.

Though hard drive technology is a huge asset in our data-centric world because of its large capacity, decreasing cost and physical size, it is a potential liability because it must be disposed of properly to minimize or eliminate the risk of unauthorized data access. HDDs retain data on magnetic platters, where it can be preserved even without electrical power for many years. These days, HDDs are still widely used for non-volatile data storage, and are expected to remain for some time despite the rise of faster flash-based storage, including solid-state drives (SSDs). The magnetic hard disk drive, introduced in 1956, didn’t gain prominence until the late 1980s.

I will touch on many of these in this post.įirst, let’s take a look at the target of all these concerns: the hard disk drive-also referred to as a “hard drive” or “hard disk”-and what it means to overwrite one. It depends on several factors, particularly technology changes, research findings and recommended procedures. Well, how many passes it takes to overwrite a hard disk can be a complex question. Occasionally, customers have requested my advice regarding which data erasure standard that we recommend, or the optimal number of erasure rounds required to securely erase a hard disk drive (HDD). Wiping Hard Disk Drives Completely: How Many Passes Do You Need? He’s a data erasure expert that can help customers to improve their processes, increase their yield and maintain their satisfaction. He defines the product roadmap, the features priority and steers their development. In this role, he understands customers’ needs and technology trends in order to translate them into product implementations. But how many overwriting passes are sufficient? Or, as some put it, how many times do you write ones, zeroes, or other junk data to a hard drive before it is completely wiped? It may be fewer than you think.īernard Le Gargean is the Product Manager of Blancco Drive Eraser, the Blancco solution to erase and diagnose laptops, desktops and servers. The safest and most cost-effective way to make data disappear without having to destroy a hard disk drive (HDD) is to simply overwrite it.
