Comment on Proper HDD clear process?
synestine@sh.itjust.works 6 months ago
‘dd’ works, but I prefer ‘shred’. It does a DoD multi-pass shred by default, so I usually use ‘shred -vn1z /dev/(drive)’. That gives output, does a one-pass random write followed by one-pass zero of the disk. More than that just wastes time, and this kinda thing takes hours on large spinners. I also use ‘smartmontools’ to run SMART tests against my drives regularly to check their health.
Kid_Thunder@kbin.social 6 months ago
Just a heads up that's not a thing anymore (since 2006 when the 1995 revision was superseded), except that you have to physically destroy it or whatever the CSA's policy that owns it says to do. Generally, if available, use a degaussing rod and then regardless, you must shred it in an approved HDD shredder (a physical shredder) or incinerate it.
Now 5220.22-M (the 1995 version) that most commercial and some not-so-commercial software referenced as the "DOD Standard" doesn't even exist anymore. It is now 32 CFR Part 117 of Title 32 and with respect to sanitization is §117.18 (b)(2).