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What is Data Erasure?

Whether it’s personal data, corporate secrets, or government records, ensuring that data cannot be accessed by unauthorized individuals is essential. A key element of data security is the confidentiality of data. Data erasure is an action that helps achieve this goal. At Certus Software, we specialize in secure data erasure solutions. But what exactly is data erasure? Let’s dive deeper into it!

What is Data Erasure

The Basics of Data Erasure

Data erasure, also known as data wiping or data sanitization, involves the permanent and secure removal of data from storage devices such as hard drives, solid-state drives (SSDs), and mobile phones. The goal is to make the data unrecoverable, leaving no traces that can be accessed or reconstructed. This is especially important when devices are sold, recycled, or reused.

It may seem sufficient to delete a file or reset the device to factory settings, but these methods are not adequate to properly erase the data. Deleted files are not immediately removed from storage; instead, the operating system marks their space as available for new data. The original data remains intact until it is overwritten, so it can be recovered with specialized tools.

Software such as Certus Erasure eliminates this risk by securely overwriting data in accordance with international standards. This process ensures that sensitive information is permanently erased and helps users comply with data protection regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

Different Data Erasure and Destruction Methods

There are several data erasure and destruction methods to permanently erase data. Below, we outline the most common techniques:

  1. Storage space overwrite by executing external data write commands: This involves overwriting the entire storage with predefined patterns such as zeros, ones, or random data.
  2. Storage space overwrite by using internal data sanitization commands (firmware-based): Certain devices support built-in commands to securely erase data via their firmware.
  3. Render stored data unintelligible by replacing the encryption key (Cryptographic Erasure): For self-encrypting drives (SEDs), this method ensures data is unrecoverable by destroying the encryption key.
  4. Degaussing: Applied to magnetic storage media, degaussing uses a strong magnet to disrupt the magnetic field and render stored data inaccessible.
  5. Physical destruction: When software-based methods are insufficient, physical destruction—such as crushing or shredding storage media—ensures data recovery is impossible.

Professional data erasure software like Certus Erasure implements multiple data destruction methods tailored to users' needs. Certus Erasure supports 45 data erasure methods and standards, ensuring a solution for a variety of data security requirements.

Why Professional Data Erasure Software?

While basic system features or some manual methods, such as factory resets, might seem sufficient, they often fall short of providing the level of security required to protect sensitive data. Professional data erasure software offers a reliable and efficient solution to securely wipe all devices while ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory standards.

  • PCs and laptops
  • Mobile devices
  • Servers and storage
  • External storage devices

Our software is trusted worldwide by businesses, government agencies, and organizations that handle confidential data. Whether it’s safeguarding trade secrets or complying with laws like GDPR, Certus Erasure provides a reliable and effective data erasure solution for all industries.

Ready to ensure your data is securely erased? Try Certus Erasure today and experience firsthand how our professional data erasure software works to protect your sensitive information.