Erasing drives should be quick and easy

"In the past years, I have seen many many false and misleading statements about what is needed to securely erase or wipe a hard drive. The FUD surrounding this topic with many still purporting to have a means of recovering data using SEMs and AFM (electron microscopy will do) is incredible.

The problem is that it hurts us all.

This year alone (and we are not even through the first month) I have read supposedly reputable security professionals stating that X-Ray machines and scanners will erase a drive. I have read how you need to use a forklift to drive over them.

With the help of a few colleges, I tested the theory (as that was all it ever was) that a SEM or AFM could be used to recover data. There is a reason that NO organization has ever done this, it is not possible. Science is based on empirical testing. Before that point it is not science and is just a hypothesis. Data recovery from a single wipe is not possible. It is up to those who sell the snake oil to prove it. This is science people."

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