ISC2 CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional)Asset SecurityMedium
A healthcare provider is decommissioning an aging Electronic Health Record (EHR) system that contains sensitive patient data. Before the physical disposal of the associated storage media (hard drives), which data sanitization method provides the HIGHEST level of assurance that the data cannot be recovered, even with advanced forensic techniques?
- ADegaussing the magnetic media.
- BSoftware-based cryptographic erase.
- CPhysical destruction (e.g., shredding or pulverizing).
- DOverwriting with a single pass of zeros.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Physical destruction (e.g., shredding or pulverizing).
Physical destruction, such as shredding, pulverizing, or incineration, renders the storage media unusable and completely destroys the data, offering the highest level of assurance against data recovery, even by sophisticated forensic methods. While degaussing is effective for magnetic media, and overwriting can be good, physical destruction leaves no possibility of data reconstruction.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Degaussing is effective for magnetic media but not for SSDs, and its effectiveness can vary.
- B. Cryptographic erase relies on the encryption key being destroyed, but the data block itself remains.
- D. Single pass overwriting can sometimes be reversed with advanced techniques.
Physical Destruction (Data Sanitization)
A data sanitization method that physically destroys the storage media, rendering the data completely unrecoverable.
- Highest level of data sanitization assurance.
- Methods include shredding, pulverizing, incineration.
- Applicable to all media types.
Memory trick: Destroy to be Sure, Overwrite to Obscure.