It's universally known that degaussing is the most secure way of erasing data from hard disk drives, tapes and other magnetic media storage devices. What happens to these electronics after the fact, though, is often up in the air.
Crushing or shredding provides a potent one-two combo for data security best practices. While taking a sledgehammer to the parking lot with a box full of disposed electronics ready to be smashed sounds like an excellent Friday afternoon activity, some of the following products provide peace of mind that the media is absolutely destroyed.
PDS-75 HDD Crusher
After erasing the data on a hard disk drive, the PDS-75 is used to destroy those physical drives in just eight seconds. This appliance is approved by the National Security Agency and ensures that media, if recovered, cannot be hacked.
This crusher comes with a rear output slide for organizations to quickly get through a large number of drives, as well as a mount kit so that it can be brought almost anywhere. This is the most mobile crusher, as it is incredibly lightweight for its size, and is perfect for large companies that need to crush devices in multiple areas of the building.
PDS-100 HDD Crusher
The PDS-100 is an automatic crusher, as opposed to the 75, which is manually operated. But, should the power be out or the crushing need to be interrupted, this device can run manually. It has the same eight-second cycle time as the PDS-75 and is completely maintenance-free.
This product has been tested and is currently used by the NSA, but only in conjunction with degaussing. Crushing a device without first wiping the data is not a secure method of recycling the electronics.
"PDS-SSD/9 degausses and crushes with ease."
PDS-SSD/9 Solid State Destroyer
This two-part process first disables the media by sending an electronic pulse after it has been dropped in. After that, it crushes the device in a 30 second process, rendering it completely unreadable.
The PDS-SSD/9 meets NIST, HIPAA and PCI standards for data security and electronic disposal. It self-contains the process to one remote location, providing the ultimate peace of mind that a hard drive won't go missing during the process.
PDS-88 Solid State Media Shredder
Gone are the days of snapping a CD or cutting up a credit card with scissors. The PDS-88 is the most secure shredder for USB flash drives, CDs, DVDs, credit cards, security badges, tablets and mobile phones.
Specifically designed to handle these types of electronics, the PDS-88 ensures no fragment of media can be found to replicate information, thus saving an organization or consumer from an accidental data breach.
Proton 105 Multimedia Shredder
This all-in-one machine does everything the PDS-88 can handle, but also crushes hard drives and solid state drives. Built for organizations looking to purge large volumes of electronics all at once, the Proton 105 Multimedia Shredder utilizes a conveyor belt to make the process as quick and safe as possible.
All of these options make excellent partners for degaussing, and provide an organization with the type of data security they need to stay compliant.