Ensuring Data Security During System Drive Disposal
Question
During the decommissioning phase of a hardware project, a security administrator is tasked with ensuring no sensitive data is released inadvertently.
All paper records are scheduled to be shredded in a crosscut shredder, and the waste will be burned.
The system drives and removable media have been removed prior to e-cycling the hardware.
Which of the following would ensure no data is recovered from the system drives once they are disposed of?
Answers
Explanations
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A. B. C. D.C.
When it comes to disposing of hard drives, it is crucial to ensure that no sensitive data can be recovered from them. This can be accomplished through various methods, such as overwriting the data, physically disabling the drive, or demagnetizing the drive.
A. Overwriting all HDD blocks with an alternating series of data: This process involves overwriting all the sectors on the hard drive with new data multiple times. The number of overwrites required depends on the sensitivity of the data and the industry best practices. This method ensures that any remnants of the previous data are no longer recoverable, and the drive is ready for disposal.
B. Physically disabling the HDDs by removing the drive head: This involves physically removing the read/write heads from the hard drive. This method ensures that the data is irretrievable, but it also renders the hard drive unusable. Additionally, this process can be time-consuming and may not be suitable for a large number of hard drives.
C. Demagnetizing the hard drive using a degausser: This process involves using a powerful magnetic field to destroy the data on the hard drive. The degaussing process renders the data irretrievable and prepares the hard drive for disposal. However, this method can be expensive, and the degausser must be calibrated correctly for it to be effective.
D. Deleting the UEFI boot loaders from each HD: This method involves removing the UEFI boot loader from the hard drive, which prevents the system from booting up. However, the data on the hard drive can still be recovered using forensic tools, and this method is not recommended for disposing of sensitive data.
In conclusion, option A, overwriting all HDD blocks with an alternating series of data, is the most practical and effective method for ensuring that no data is recoverable from a hard drive.
