You will probably ask this question if you use an SSD and wish to erase all of its data. Unfortunately, the quick answer is that degaussing SSD does not work.
Due to the risk of data loss, solid-state disks pose a specific challenge. Data destruction is the process of ensuring that data cannot be recovered and utilized for malicious reasons. Data destruction often involves deleting the electronic medium or overwriting it with random data until the current data can no longer be recovered. With SSDs, however, this is not the case.
What exactly is degaussing?
By removing magnetic fields, degaussing is a technique for physically erasing data. The magnetic domain storage systems like hard drives that store information makes this technology viable. By neutralizing these magnetic domains, degaussing SSD can permanently erase the data held on hard drives and other suitable devices.
Why does degaussing not work on SSDs?
Degaussing’s primary drawback is that it can only be used with equipment that magnetically stores data. Solid-state drives (SSDs) store data using flash memory chips rather than magnetic domains. Hence, the technique is unsuccessful on SSDs. Degaussing has little impact on other flash-based storage types, including USB drives and memory cards.
Users of conventional hard drives should consider alternatives to degaussing when removing data permanently. Degaussing is a costly alternative that also interferes with the fundamental operation of magnetic storage devices, making the drives useless. This can be challenging to justify from an environmental or sustainability standpoint.
Alternatives to Degaussing for Wiping an SSD
Because they are faster, more reliable, and use a lot less power, SSDs are a highly requested storage device option for many businesses. specifically in comparison to hard disk drives. Given the prevalence of SDDs, companies must be aware of the practical techniques for SSD data sanitization. Degaussing SSD drives is an unsuccessful method, as we’ve already stated. So, here are some choices that you might think about.
Destroying the SSD Physically
Business enterprises can comply with data protection standards by physically destroying SSDs, making the data unrecoverable. However, due to the way SSDs are assembled and configured, some data may still be exposed even after only making a few small holes in the storage medium. It is crucial to pound the entire SSD to destroy the memory chips inside the SSD. Other techniques for physically destroying devices to ensure data eradication include disintegrating, shredding, and burning.
The advantage of physical destruction is that it ensures that no one will ever be able to recover the data from the SSD using any method. Shredding a hard drive is one of the most popular methods of physically destroying a hard drive and it can work on SSD as well. It is also possible to hammer SSDs with a hammer or other standard home tools, making it an essentially cost-free alternative. However, it also means that your company will no longer have one additional SSD storage device. If the device is not correctly destroyed or disposed of, there is also a chance that someone could recover the data.
However, the major drawback of physical destruction as an alternative to degaussing SSD is that it is not environmentally benign or sustainable. The destroyed item adds to the dangers of electronic waste. Additionally, businesses must spend money on new storage systems to replace destroyed ones.
Using Data Erasure Software
Data erasure is a technique for sanitizing data that involves overwriting a storage medium with software. Data erasure makes sensitive data on a storage device irrecoverable by covering it with a non-sensitive binary pattern. For magnetic and flash-based storage devices, data erasure is a workable method of data sanitization. This is so that the procedure may overwrite the private information. As a result, it is appropriate for all types of devices, including SSDs, flash memory cards, floppy disk drives, and hard drives.
Additionally, companies and individuals can reuse the gadget and sell it on the open market because data erasure does not physically affect the device. This preserves the device’s monetary and functional worth. Encouraging the reuse of current storage media devices consequently lowers the quantity of produced e-waste.
Puncturing the SSD
While still, a physical action, puncturing SSDs is slightly different from shredding. Drives are inserted into equipment with a press, which destroys the data on the hard disk and the chips they contain by punching several pins into them.
All the memory chips are damaged during puncturing, and the drive is covered in holes.
Conclusion
Degaussing is a method for demagnetizing magnetic storage devices, and it impacts HDDs and other tape media that use a magnetic field to store data in its binary form. Degaussing SSD, however, cannot successfully clean SSDs with NAND chips. Thus, we have clarified why degaussing SSD is neither necessary nor practical. Software-based data sanitization is now the best method for wiping an SSD because it is both environmentally benign and compliant with international standards for data protection. In conclusion, data erasure utilizing a trustworthy software program can assist businesses in remaining in compliance with data protection and e-waste rules. So contact Eco IT Solutions today for environmentally-friendly disposal of any IT asset.
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