how to securely erase data u.s. department of defense

To effectively erase previously stored data, the simplest techniques overwrite hard disk drive storage areas with the same data everywhere—often using a pattern of all zeros. The DoD “standard” and others like it take overwriting a step further with prescribed random overwriting methods.

1. What is the most secure method of data erasure?
2. How many passes is a DoD wipe?
3. How do you wipe a hard drive by DoD?
4. Can data be recovered after a DoD wipe?
5. How do you permanently erase data so that it Cannot be recovered?
6. What is the best data sanitization method?
7. Is 7 pass erase secure enough?
8. How long does a DoD wipe take?
9. How many times should a hard drive be wiped?
10. Does formatting a drive wipe it?
11. Does Secure Erase remove operating system?
12. What is the best program to wipe a hard drive?

What is the most secure method of data erasure?

Named after its developer, the Gutmann algorithm is a method of disk wiping that overwrites data using a total of 35 passes. This makes it one of the most secure data erasure methods, but also the most time-consuming.

How many passes is a DoD wipe?

This document specified that rigid magnetic disks should be sanitized by writing some “character, its complement, and then a random character” (i.e., three overwriting passes) and is known as the “DoD 5220.22-M” standard.

How do you wipe a hard drive by DoD?

Then click “Wipe Hard Drive”.

1. Then choose the “DoD 5220.22-M” as the wiping method, and decide the times you want to rewrite to the hard drive.
2. Back to the main interface, and click “Apply” to perform DoD hard drive wipe.
3. Just wait for a while, the data on the hard drive will be completely erased.

Can data be recovered after a DoD wipe?

The standard known as DoD 5220.22-M is a software based data destruction method used in several file shredder and data erasing programs. ... After all the time and effort spent running the software wiping program and ensuring that it is effective, data can still be recovered from the drive.

How do you permanently erase data so that it Cannot be recovered?

The app that lets you permanently erase deleted files is called Secure Eraser, and it's available for free on the Google Play Store. To begin, search the app by name and get it installed, or head directly to the install page at the following link: Install Secure Eraser for free from the Google Play Store.

What is the best data sanitization method?

Cryptographic erasure is a quick and effective method to achieve data sanitization. It is best used when storage devices are in transit or for storage devices that contain information that is not sensitive.

Is 7 pass erase secure enough?

A single pass with zeros doesn't completely erase magnetic artifacts from a disk. It's still possible to recover the data from the drive. A 7-pass erasure using random data will do a pretty complete job to prevent reconstruction of the data on the drive. ... Answer: Not one bit was recovered.

How long does a DoD wipe take?

Calculating Time

In cases where a drive with a capacity of a terabyte will be wiped using the DoD-approved nine passes of randomly written ones and zeros, it is very likely that this process will take in excess of one month of 24 hours per day processing to finish this wiping procedure.

How many times should a hard drive be wiped?

This is an urban legend – you only need to wipe a drive once. Wiping refers to overwriting a drive with all 0's, all 1's, or random data. It's important to wipe a drive once before disposing of it to make your data unrecoverable, but additional wipes offer a false sense of security.

Does formatting a drive wipe it?

Formatting a disk does not erase the data on the disk, only the address tables. ... As long as people understand that formatting is not a 100 percent secure way to completely remove all data from your computer, then they are able to make the choice between formatting and even more secure methods.

Does Secure Erase remove operating system?

Using a tool like DBAN erases the hard drive completely. It's easy, and every single bit of every single byte — operating system, settings, programs, and data — is removed from the hard drive… ... Then, if you like (and if you can), reinstall the operating system from an install disk.

What is the best program to wipe a hard drive?

DBAN is a free data destruction program* that completely erases files on a hard drive. This includes all personal files, operating systems, and installed programs. It's smart to use a program to wipe your device. Most products offer proof of erasure.