CompTIA Security+ (SY0-501) — Question 404

A company's IT staff is given the task of securely disposing of 100 server HDDs. The security team informs the IT staff that the data must not be accessible by a third party after disposal. Which of the following is the MOST time-efficient method to achieve this goal?

Answer options

• A. Use a degausser to sanitize the drives.
• B. Remove the platters from the HDDs and shred them.
• C. Perform a quick format of the HDD drives.
• D. Use software to zero fill all of the hard drives.

Correct answer: A

Explanation

Using a degausser is the most effective method as it disrupts the magnetic fields of the drives, ensuring that the data is irretrievable. Removing platters and shredding them is more time-consuming and not as efficient for large quantities. A quick format does not securely erase the data, and zero filling is slower compared to degaussing.