Which data-destruction technique relies on a very strong magnetic field to scramble the magnetic domains on hard disk drives and magnetic tape, rendering the stored data unrecoverable?
Degaussing uses a high-intensity magnetic field to randomize the magnetic domains that represent bits on magnetic media. This purges the data and usually makes the drive unusable. It does not work on non-magnetic storage such as solid-state drives (SSDs). NIST SP 800-88 and other industry sources list degaussing as an approved purge method for magnetic media but ineffective for flash-based media.
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What is degaussing, and how does it work?
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Why is degaussing ineffective for solid-state drives (SSDs)?
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What are some alternatives to degaussing for data destruction on non-magnetic media?