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Erasure methods in toolstar® software

In this article you will find an overview of all available deletion methods in toolstar®shredderLX and toolstar®shredderWIN as well as a description of the respective methods . At the end of the article, some technical terms within the definitions of the methods are explained in more detail.

  • BSI standard (3 runs)
    International standard: Yes
    Firmware-Standard: No
    Description: Erases the entire hard drive with a total of 3 passes as defined by the BSI.
    Available in: toolstar®shredderLX and toolstar®shredderWIN
  • BSI / VS-ITR (write 7x, check 1x)
    International standard: Yes
    Firmware standard: No
    Description: Erases the entire hard drive with a total of 7 passes according to the definition of the BSI. At the end, a check is carried out across the entire medium.
    Available in: toolstar®shredderLX and toolstar®shredderWIN
  • BSI 2011 (write, check, ESE, check)
    International standard: Yes
    Firmware standard: Conditional, depending on hardware support
    Description: Erases the entire hard drive with a total of one overwrite, two checks and one run of Enhanced SecureErase as defined by BSI.
    Available in: toolstar®shredderLX and toolstar®shredderWIN (partially)
  • NIST SP 800-88 Clear
    International standard: Yes
    Firmware standard: Conditional, depending on the selected data carrier type (ATA-SSD, ATA-HDD)
    Description: Erases the entire hard drive with a total of one overwrite (zeros) and, in the case of an ATA SSD, including Enhanced SecureErase as a second phase according to NIST definition.
    Available in: toolstar®shredderLX
  • NIST SP 800-88 Purge
    International Standard: Yes
    Firmware Standard: Yes
    Description: Purges depending on selected disk (ATA-SSD or NVMe-SSD) with different firmware-based methods (based on the support of the medium) according to NIST definition.
    Available in: toolstar®shredderLX
  • Dept. of Defense DoD 5220.22M short (3 runs)
    International standard: Yes
    Firmware standard: No
    Description: Erases the entire hard drive with a total of 3 passes.
    Available in: toolstar®shredderLX and toolstar®shredderWIN
  • Dept. of Defense DoD 5220.22M extended (7 runs)
    International Standard: Yes
    Firmware Standard: No
    Description: Erases the entire hard drive with a total of 7 passes.
    Available in: toolstar®shredderLX and toolstar®shredderWIN
  • HMG Infosec Standard 5, lower standard (1 pass)
    International standard: Yes
    Firmware standard: No
    Description: strong> Erases the entire hard drive with a total of one pass.
    Available in: toolstar®shredderLX and toolstar®shredderWIN
  • HMG Infosec Standard 5, higher Standard (3 passes)
    International Standard: Yes
    Firmware Standard: No
    Description: strong> Erases the entire hard drive with a total of 3 passes.
    Available in: toolstar®shredderLX and toolstar®shredderWIN
  • Bruce Schneier algorithm (7 runs)
    International standard: Yes
    Firmware standard: No
    Description: Erases the entire hard drive with a total of 7 passes.
    Available in: toolstar®shredderLX and toolstar®shredderWIN
  • US Army AR380-19 (3 ​​passes)
    International Standard: Yes
    Firmware Standard: No
    Description: Erases the entire hard drive with a total of 3 passes.
    Available in: toolstar®shredderLX and toolstar®shredderWIN
  • US Air Force AFSSI 5020 (3 passes)
    International Standard: Yes
    Firmware Standard: No
    Description: Erases the entire hard drive with a total of 3 passes.
    Available in: toolstar®shredderLX and toolstar®shredderWIN
  • Peter Gutmann Method (35 runs)
    International Standard: Yes
    Firmware Standard: No
    Description: Erases the entire hard drive with a total of 35 passes.
    Available in:toolstar®shredderLX and toolstar®shredderWIN
  • Sanitize: Block Erase
    International Standard: No
    Firmware Standard: Yes
    Description: Applies the ATA firmware command ATA SANITIZE BLOCK_ERASE.
    Available in: toolstar®shredderLX
  • Sanitize: Crypto Erase
    International Standard: No
    Firmware Standard: Yes
    Description: Applies the ATA firmware command ATA SANITIZE CRYPTO_ERASE.
    Available in: toolstar®shredderLX
  • Sanitize: Overwrite
    International standard: No
    Firmware standard: Yes
    Description: Applies the ATA firmware command ATA SANITIZE CRYPTO_OVERWRITE.
    Available in: toolstar®shredderLX
  • NVMe Format
    International Standard: No
    Firmware Standard: Yes
    Description: Applies the NVME firmware command NVM_FORMAT .
    Available in: toolstar®shredderLX
  • NVMe Cryptographic Erase
    International Standard: No
    Firmware Standard: Yes
    Description: Applies the NVME firmware command NVM_CRYPTO_ERASE on.
    Available in: toolstar®shredderLX
  • Enhanced Secure Erase (ESE, Enh. SecureErase)
    International standard: No
    Firmware standard: Yes
    Description: Applies the ATA firmware command ESE.
    Available in: toolstar®shredderLX
  • Secure Erase (SE, SecureErase)
    International Standard: No
    Firmware Standard: Yes
    Description: Applies this ATA firmware command SE.
    Available in: toolstar®shredderLX

Different availability in toolstar®shredderLX and shredderWIN

The program toolstar®shredderWIN does not support all methods of toolstar®shredderLX - especially in the areas of firmware commands. This limitation arises from running under Windows, which does not allow unlocking hard drives. However, classic overwriting is also possible with toolstar®shredderWIN. With toolstar®shredderLX you always have access to all methods and a complete one Automation of all processes.

Firmware-based sanitization methods

Firmware-based methods run internally in the hard drive and can therefore also delete areas that lie outside the actual data area. Depending on the method and hardware, this includes, for example, cache memory as well as swapped blocks or security keys. When the erase process starts, the disk controller sends a direct erase command to all NAND blocks within the disk. The hard drive then deletes as many NAND blocks at once as possible. During the process, the hard drive uses the maximum allowed energy to delete as many blocks as possible at the same time. Due to this parallelization, these operations are performed extremely much faster than classic overwriting and are just as secure, if not more so. In contrast to classic overwriting, this process can no longer be canceled. Even if the hard drive is simply unplugged, the process will continue the next time it is turned on until it is terminated. The hard drive is also not fully usable during this phase.

Combined erasure for maximum security

Even if the firmware-based deletion methods basically delete all data and more and are even faster, you should always use a combination of classic overwriting (international standards) and one or more firmware-based methods. This combination means you are fully protected technically (combination) and legally (international standard method). All methods carried out are always listed in the deletion certificate. For example, if you run the Santitize: Block Erase and BSI 3x method on an ATA SSD, you will receive the output: Delete method: Sanitize: Block Erase, BSI 3x.

Verification after sanitation

Verification after deletion performs a check of the data on the hard drive after deletion, depending on the setting or default. What is written is compared with the data actually on the hard drive. If there is a discrepancy between the written data and the data actually on the hard drive, you will receive an error.

We recommend that you always carry out a sample check at the beginning and at the end with a percentage of 1% or more. This optional implementation is also mentioned in the deletion certificates.

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