Secure data destruction with an SSD

[britechguy]

I don't do it for the overkill.

To be clear, I was not meaning to refer to you, or your own practices, exclusively. These days, drive destruction for HDDs is pretty much a non-issue since SSDs are taking over the world very, very rapidly. And you are right, the "remains" can be sent to recycling.

I just hope that in the age of SSDs those who set up the various compliance rules update them to match the available technology. There is no reason to be sending untold millions of SSDs "to the dump" because they are being physically destroyed rather than securely erased.

Reduce, reuse, recycle should apply to computer tech to the maximum extent possible. And data security with SSDs does not require device destruction.

 

[frase]

I've always wanted to beat the SSD into little pieces with a 3 lb. hammer on my anvil and return the pieces in a plastic bag with a note saying the data has been securely destroyed....

Unfortunately, 3.5" spinners are tough critters that can shrug off hammer blows. I resort to the drill press for those. (I know, doesn't help this discussion.)

I take them apart for the magnets always useful, I made a magnet sweeper to find the screws that go into the abyss. It is a telescopic rod with the neodymium magnets attached to the end in an array like a minesweeper.

 

[Markverhyden]

I take them apart for the magnets always useful, I made a magnet sweeper to find the screws that go into the abyss. It is a telescopic rod with the neodymium magnets attached to the end in an array like a minesweeper.

I've dozens of those throughout all of my tools and stuff. Discovered that real server class HD's have much larger magnets so I don't mess around with consumer grade stuff any more.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

I've dozens of those throughout all of my tools and stuff. Discovered that real server class HD's have much larger magnets so I don't mess around with consumer grade stuff any more.

For sure...some of those magnets are INSANE eh? Crazy power. And not to be played with, catch the skin of your fingers 'tween them when they clamp together..and OUCH!!!

When I was living on the boat in summers at the marina, I brought some in...to put on the end of a string....for retrieving car keys that people would invariably drop in the water (~10 feet deep, not very clear water due to current).

When I used to restore/ride older Harley motorcycles...I often rode to/from work/clients....and there's a stoplight by our office that is very stubborn with cars. If you pulled up on a motorcycle the sensor in the ground would never detect you. So you'd be stuck at a red light, unless a car came up behind you and you encouraged them to inch forward over the inductive loop under the pavement.

What helped big time...I put two of those magnets on the bottom of the frame.

 

[Markverhyden]

For sure...some of those magnets are INSANE eh? Crazy power. And not to be played with, catch the skin of your fingers 'tween them when they clamp together..and OUCH!!!

Yep. They're typically 2-3 times thicker than the ones on consumer grade drives. And the mag field strength is beyond impressive. If I get two of them stuck together face to face I can't separate them by sliding them apart. Have to use a knife or similar as a chisel. But at least no problem with loosing screws as long as their magnetic.