Certus Storage Device Erasure

The Certus Erasure module is a certified product that securely and permanently deletes data stored in laptops, PCs, servers, and storage environments, as well as external media devices (USB sticks and single drives).
Each verified erasure provides a tamper-proof data erasure certificate, showing the following information:

Document ID
System Hardware
Storage Device
Erasure Statistics
Compliancy
S.M.A.R.T parameters

Certus Software has the full infrastructure to ensure it is compliant with GDPR and NIST 800-88. It also meets national and global data protection regulations. Using Certus Software is a way of taking social responsibility, as this secure, cost effective, eco-friendly product makes it possible for IT equipment to safely be reused to help keep the planet green.

Can be implemented as

Online

Offline

Deployment / PXE

Can be Implemented as

Online / Cloud

Online solution

The Cloud solution provides centralized control and reporting features for the entire data erasure process, convenient access, plus a safe and secure environment for all parties involved in the process.

The Advantages :

Full Transparancy
User Management
Easy to navigate
Total Infrastructure to use build in
Customized Reporting

The requirements

1.

The software has boot support for both UEFI and Legacy (BIOS) firmware. You need a USB drive or blank CD/DVD to create a bootable Certus Erasure media device. You can create the bootable device and download Certus Erasure Software via the Certus USB-Tool. The Certus USB-Tool is available in Certus Erasure Web Manager.

2.

An Internet connection is required to login to your Certus cloud account to access purchased licenses and define erasure settings. During the erasure process, no information is sent over the Internet. All network transmissions are protected by security encryption protocol TLS v1.3

The Process

Step 1

PREPARE BOOT USB DRIVE

Download an image of Certus Erasure Software from your CEWM account. Use this image to prepare a bootable USB drive. To start Certus Erasure Software, select USB in the boot menu of the unit that needs to be erased.

Step 2

Start Certus Software

Start a machine using the prepared bootable USB drive. Use your Certus account login credentials to sign in at the software start. Ensure your machine is connected to the Internet.

Step 3

Erase storage devices

Set the necessary erasure pattern and verification level. Select the drives for erasure. “Unfreeze“ drives if needed and start the erasure process.

Step 4

Save erasure reports

After the erasure process has been completed, an erasure report is generated. You can save the erasure report in your Certus cloud account or on an external storage drive.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

x86 or x86-64 ,Pentium 4 or equivalent machine
512 MB RAM memory
One USB port
VGA video card (at least 1024×768 resolution)
Network Interface Card (wired or wireless) – not required when running offline, standalone mode
USB Flash drive
HASP key (licensing option, when internet connection is not available)
Computer running Microsoft Windows, Linux or MacOS family operating systems (for using Certus Erasure Web Manager)

SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS

CertusErasure-X.Y.Z.iso image file, available for download from Certus Erasure Web Manager (CEWM) https://cloud.certus.software

Offline

Offline solution

Use the certified data erasure software as a secure offline solution on your local target computer where no Internet is available or allowed.

The Advantages :

Full Transparancy
Same functionality as Cloud Solution
Easy to operate
Total online isolation
Customized Reporting
Availability to upload erasure reports into CEWM

The requirements

1.

2.

A Single Unit HASP Key is required to login to Certus Erasure Software. The key contains login credentials and purchased licenses. Additional licenses can be purchased and added to your dedicated HASP Key.

3.

All your erasure activities such as erasure, hardware audit or issue reports should be saved on an external storage device for archiving. Note that reports can not be saved on the bootable USB drive and HASP Key.
Saved reports can be imported to the Certus Software Web Manager. The HASP Key ID should be linked to your Cloud account (available upon request).

The Process

Step 1

PREPARE BOOT USB DRIVE

Step 2

Start Certus Software

Start a machine using the prepared bootable USB drive. Use your Single Unit HASP Key to sign in at the software start. Login will be started automatically.

Step 3

Erase storage devices

Set the necessary erasure pattern and verification level. Select the drives for erasure. “Unfreeze“ drives if needed and start the erasure process.

Step 4

Save erasure reports

After the erasure process has been completed you can generate an erasure report and save it on an external storage device.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

x86 or x86-64 ,Pentium 4 or equivalent machine
512 MB RAM memory
One USB port
VGA video card (at least 1024×768 resolution)
Network Interface Card (wired or wireless) – not required when running offline, standalone mode
USB Flash drive
HASP key (licensing option, when internet connection is not available)
Computer running Microsoft Windows, Linux or MacOS family operating systems (for using Certus Erasure Web Manager)

SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS

CertusErasure-X.Y.Z.iso image file, available for download from Certus Erasure Web Manager (CEWM) https://cloud.certus.software

Deployment

Deploy our solution to multiple machines using our WDS network based PXE deployment. Through an API, we can integrate it directly into your own ERP.

The Advantages :

Full Transparency
Functionality online or offline
Erasing several devices simultaneously
Total Infrastructure to use build in
Customized Reporting

The requirements

1.

For using the PXE/Deployment solution, a Windows Server with configured Windows Deployment Services (WDS) should be set up according to the instructions. All required images for the deployment are available as downloads.

2.

Client units and a Deployment Unit should be connected in the same network environment. To start Certus Erasure Software, LAN/PXE boot should be chosen in boot menu or set as default boot source of the client unit.

3.

Online option: an Internet connection by the Deployment Unit is required to login to your Certus cloud account to access purchased licenses and define erasure settings. All network transmissions are protected by security encryption protocol TLS v1.3. Client units receive necessary data from the Certus cloud via DHCP protocol.

Offline option: A LAN HASP Key is needed if the PXE/Deployment solution is used for mass storage erasing. A Single Unit HASP Key is needed for an individual controlled erasure of a target unit using PXE. The keys contain login credentials and purchased licenses.

4.

Online option: all your erasure activities, such as erasure and hardware audit reports, will be automatically saved in the Certus Erasure Web Manager via DHCP protocol arranged by the Deployment Unit.

Offline option: all your erasure activities, such as erasure and hardware audit reports or issue reports, could be saved on an external storage device or will be automatically saved at the FTP server arranged by the Deployment Unit. Note that reports can not be saved on the bootable USB drive and HASP Key. Saved reports can be imported to the Certus Software Web Manager. The HASP Key ID should be linked to your Cloud account (available upon request).

The Process

Step 1

PREPARE PXE/DEPLOYMENT

ENVIRONMENT

Configure WDS and upload required Certus Erasure images. Connect unit that needs to be erased via local network to the machine with installed PXE/Deployment environment and select LAN/PXE in the boot menu.

Step 2

START CERTUS SOFTWARE

Start the PXE/Deployment unit and wait until the WDS services are started. Start the client unit(s) and sign in the Certus Erasure Software using your Certus account login credentials or HASP key.

Step 3

ERASE STORAGE DRIVES

Select the drives for erasure. Set the necessary erasure pattern and verification level. “Unfreeze” drives if needed and start the erasure process.

Step 4

SAVE ERASURE REPORTS

After the erasure process has been completed, generate an erasure report and save it on an external storage device, FTP server prepared by the Deployment Unit or in your Certus cloud account via DHCP protocol.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

Server or PC with Windows Server operating system
Requirements must be as defined by Microsoft depending on the operating system that is used
Network Interface Card (wired)
HASP key (for the licensing)

SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS

CertusErasure-X.Y.Z.iso image file, available for download from Certus Erasure Web Manager (CEWM) https://cloud.certus.software
Implement ISO

Certus Storage Device Erasure

Can be implemented as

Online

Offline

Deployment / PXE

Can be Implemented as

Online / Cloud

Online solution

The requirements

1.

2.

The Process

Step 1

PREPARE BOOT USB DRIVE

Step 2

Start Certus Software

Step 3

Erase storage devices

Step 4

Save erasure reports

Offline

Offline solution

The requirements

1.

2.

3.

The Process

Step 1

PREPARE BOOT USB DRIVE

Step 2

Start Certus Software

Step 3

Erase storage devices

Step 4

Save erasure reports

Deployment

Deployment

The requirements

1.

2.

3.

4.

The Process

Step 1

PREPARE PXE/DEPLOYMENT ENVIRONMENT

Step 2

START CERTUS SOFTWARE

Step 3

ERASE STORAGE DRIVES

Step 4

SAVE ERASURE REPORTS

Capabilities

Target devices

Support HDD, SSD, USB

Support RAID dismantling

Support multiple block size drives

Support UEFI & Legacy

Erase data permanently from multiple HDDs/SSDs simultaneously

Support ATA, SATA, IDE, SCSI, FibreChannel, SAS, RAID, eMMC, M.2, NVMe

Usability

Multilingual

Automate the erasure process

Implementation via API interface

Most important keyboard layouts supported

Screensaver showing the erasure progress during the process

Hexviewer information for visual verification during the erasure process

Erasure process

Define Verification Percentage

25 Different Erasure Patterns

Unfreeze all locked storage devices

Indentifies and erases hidden areas like HPA, DCO & remapped sectors

Reporting

Digital Fingerprint

Digitally-signed Certificate of Erasure

Save reports locally or send them to the Certus Erasure Web Manager

PREPARE PXE/DEPLOYMENT

ENVIRONMENT