[ArrogantBustard]

I wonder what the US Gov does to dispose of "classified" hard drives? I sort of imagine it involves fire, or some equivalent of your heavy duty hammer. Financial institutions should treat their old drives the same way.

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

I wonder what the US Gov does to dispose of "classified" hard drives? I sort of imagine it involves fire, or some equivalent of your heavy duty hammer. Financial institutions should treat their old drives the same way.

They SHOULD smash them, but I assure you they miss a bunch of them. BTW a good friend, who works for one of those friendly government groups in Washington that goes by three letters, swears they can recover info that has been overwritten three times.

[TroutStalker]

I wonder what the US Gov does to dispose of "classified" hard drives?

Two weeks ago I had a HD replaced under warrenty. I asked the tech about how the returned units are handled. He said that all the returned units are sent through a large magnet upon receipt as SOP. He did mention that HDs replaced for the IRS are retained by the agency and are destroyed. Although he didn't detail how this was accomplished, I imagine it involves magnets, followed by physical destruction.

[Poohbah]

I wonder what the US Gov does to dispose of "classified" hard drives?

If the hard drive is still usable, they overwrite with 0s, then overwrite with 1s, then allow the drive to be reused at the appropriate security classification or higher (i.e., a SECRET drive can be reused as SECRET or TOP SECRET, but not as CONFIDENTIAL or UNCLASSIFIED).

If the drive is damaged beyond repair, it is physically destroyed.

[steve-b]

I wonder what the US Gov does to dispose of "classified" hard drives?

From what I've heard, it involves thermite....

[Ides of March]

I wonder what the US Gov does to dispose of "classified" hard drives?

Not a problem.

Their computers are usually stolen before it's time to dispose of them.

Beware.

[aShepard]

I wonder what the US Gov does to dispose of "classified" hard drives? I sort of imagine it involves fire, or some equivalent of your heavy duty hammer

Nope, they send all used hard drives to this place in China: Crintoons Cowectibles.

[aShepard]

I wonder what the US Gov does to dispose of "classified" hard drives? I sort of imagine it involves fire, or some equivalent of your heavy duty hammer

Nope, they send all used hard drives to this place in China: Crintoons Cowectibles.

[Redcloak]

I wonder what the US Gov does to dispose of "classified" hard drives?

They hide them behind a copier at Los Alamos.

[El Gato]

I wonder what the US Gov does to dispose of "classified" hard drives?

They write over all the data, usually several times. All ones, All zeros and then one or more times with random ones and zeros. For really high security stuff they then take an industrial strength magnet to the disk platter itself. The sort of magnet that is used to pick up cars in some scrap yards, although physically somewhat smaller. :)

[MarkL]

I wonder what the US Gov does to dispose of "classified" hard drives? I sort of imagine it involves fire, or some equivalent of your heavy duty hammer. Financial institutions should treat their old drives the same way.

I posted something on this before I read your post... Metal shredder.

Mark