Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) — Question 353

Which of the following is the MOST effective method of destroying sensitive data stored on electronic media?

Answer options

• A. Physical destruction
• B. Random character overwrite
• C. Degaussing
• D. Low-level formatting

Correct answer: A

Explanation

Physical destruction is the most effective method to ensure that sensitive data cannot be recovered, as it physically damages the media. Other methods like random character overwrite, degaussing, and low-level formatting may not guarantee complete data destruction, as advanced recovery techniques can potentially retrieve information from these processes.