Data sanitization
Data sanitization
(also data disposal, data erasure)
Data sanitization definition
Data sanitization, also known as data disposal or data erasure, is the process of irreversibly removing or altering data in a storage device to make it unreadable and unrecoverable. Once deleted, it ensures that sensitive data can’t be retrieved using specialized recovery tools or techniques.
See also: personal VPN, end-to-end encryption
Data sanitization examples
- Device resale: Data sanitization is critical when selling or disposing of used devices to prevent personal data from falling into the wrong hands.
- Decommissioning hardware: Businesses often sanitize data in decommissioned hardware to safeguard company secrets and customer information.
Pros and cons of data sanitization
Pros
- Security: It provides a high level of security by permanently eliminating data, reducing the risk of data breaches.
- Compliance: Helps businesses to comply with data privacy laws and regulations.
Cons
- Resource-intensive: The process can be time-consuming and requires robust software tools.
- Permanency: If not backed up correctly, important data can be lost forever.
Using data sanitization
- Choose the right method: Depending on the sensitivity of the data and the hardware used, you might opt for software-based erasure, physical destruction, or degaussing.
- Validate the process: Always verify if the data sanitization process has been successful in ensuring the data is indeed irrecoverable.