Degausser or shredder? The modern world creates enormous opportunities for creating, collecting and processing information. It is often necessary to permanently delete it – which methods of destroying data stored on storage media are not only effective, but also environmentally friendly?

For archiving and backup purposes, data is saved on various types of storage media, including magnetic media (such as hard drives, LTO tapes or floppy disks), semiconductor media (memory cards, SSD drives, etc.) or optical media (e.g. CD, DVD, Blu-Ray). They often contain not only key and strategically important information for the organization about customers, contractors, business development strategies, marketing plans, financial analyses, but also private records, such as bank account histories, etc. Data protection regulations and laws oblige companies and institutions to irreversibly and securely destroy data from media intended for sale, repair or disposal – the removal of information must be carried out in an irreversible manner, safe for its confidentiality. Unfortunately, this topic is often ignored or is a poorly understood aspect of organizational security.

What is degaussing?

Degaussing is a commonly used method of irreversibly destroying data from allmagnetic media: functional and damaged. What does it involve? Imagine that the surface of a hard drive is covered with an innumerable amount ofvery small magnets. Each magnet has two poles – N (north pole) and S (south pole). When data is written to the disk, these poles are oriented in accordance with theorder of bits (digital ones and zeros) that make up the data (e.g. a text file or aphoto). The purpose of the degaussing process is to change the magnetization along the surface of the platter so that the aforementioned magnetic poles are orientedrandomly. Degaussing of the media is carried out using a device called a degausser. The mostmodern ones not only generate a strong magnetic field (which ensures effective datadeletion), but also work with an application on mobile devices. The entire data destruction process takes only a few seconds. As often required by internal data protection regulations, the destruction of information stored on the medium is automatically documented in the form of images and videos using the integrated functions of the device.

Physical destruction of media

Unfortunately, many entrepreneurs and people responsible for data security in an organization still believe that an effective way to remove information from a HDD or tape is to physically destroy the medium. Drills, hammers or shredders are used. The truth is, however, that physical destruction of the medium does not delete the data stored on it. Fragments of data can be recovered – this is a costly and time-consuming procedure, but it is possible to carry out. On the other hand, many companies decide to carry out the degaussing procedure and then physically destroy the media. Does it make sense? If we use an effective method (which is degaussing), there is no need to carry out additional activities to be sure that the data has been destroyed. Of course, there are often situations when companies or institutions have implemented procedures requiring degaussing and then physical destruction of the medium.

Data deletion using HEI impulse – new

A new, innovative Deflasher ProDevice T1000 device will soon be introduced to the market – the world’s first device using HEI (High Energy Impulse) technology to destroy data from flash memory media without metal casings. This is a global revolution in the data destruction market – the device will solve the problem of many entrepreneurs who delete data from this type of media using software (which often takes a lot of time) or physically destroy the memory media (which is an ineffective method).

Efficiency, convenience and comfort of use: degausser or shredder?

Nowadays, degaussing is an increasingly appreciated, recommended by the NSA method of destroying data, especially if we are dealing with damaged media. It is worth noting that this method is used not only by smaller or larger companies, but also by uniformed services or space agencies. This method is 100% safe and effective – data cannot be recovered. In addition, degaussers (unlike shredders) work quietly and do not emit dust or other pollutants. Most modern models are characterized by dimensions typical of office equipment; degaussers are usually compact, take up little space and can be easily transported between different locations. Shredders, on the other hand, are often quite large; industrial models are large and heavy – it is very difficult to use them in several locations.

Operating costs: degausser or shredder?

Manually operated shredders are not very expensive devices; industrial models are a solution for companies/institutions that have larger budgets. The price of professional degaussers, which – as mentioned – effectively remove data from magnetic media, varies and depends on the strength of the magnetic field and additional functions they are equipped with. Basic degaussers with a power of up to 11,000 Gauss cost more than manual shredders, but less than automatic shredder models. Each company or institution must make its own decision regarding the method of data destruction. When choosing between buying a degausser and a shredder, it is important to consider not only the costs associated with the purchase of the device itself. It is also worth analyzing the costs associated with the possible loss of sensitive data that was not effectively removed – in such a situation, not only financial burdens are at stake, but also serious legal and image consequences. Considering these factors, it turns out that the price of buying a degausser, which irreversibly destroys data, is small compared to the risk of buying just a shredder, especially one that does not meet strict safety standards for data destruction.

What about environmental protection? Degausser or shredder?

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is one of the fastest growing waste streams. It can cause serious environmental and health problems if not managed properly. The production of modern electronics often also requires the use of rare and expensive resources (Rare Earth Elements REE). Recycling these electronic devices brings obvious benefits: it is a chance to become independent from the monopoly of third countries on rare earth elements and at the same time support the idea of a circular economy in which all waste material is reused. Therefore, the approach to the principles of sustainable development (sustainability) and the so-called urban mining is becoming increasingly important. Degaussing does not damage the physical structure of the medium (the disk remains in one piece). This is why recovering important elements or electronics from it is much easier than in a situation where the medium is physically destroyed. To support the development of modern REE recovery technologies from hard drives (hard drives contain neodymium magnets), regulatory changes are necessary in the data disposal market. The approach of the entire IT industry to issues related to irreversible data deletion is equally important. Degaussing is a much more effective way of erasing data than physical destruction of media (data can be deleted even from damaged drives). It is also a responsible and wise approach to environmental protection.