Re: secure disposal of backup tapes

["murad" <talukdar_m () subway com>]

I had thought of the degausserbut a reading more and more stories of it not working -maybe lazy data disposal 
companies. I decided to try the shredding method with one and found that the estimated 2000 pieces that the tape became 
would hopefully prevent anyone from reading anything from it. I can already hear the more paranoid of you saying that a 
3.0 letter agency could easily reconstruct it but I have to go with 'most likely' here.
Love the bonfire idea though. I'll see if finance will approve some beer too.
-----Original Message-----
From: Saqib Ali <docbook.xml () gmail com>
Date: Wed, 23 Nov 2005 09:58:53 
To:"John R. Dennison" <jrd () gerdesas com>
Cc:Murad Talukdar <talukdar_m () subway com>, security-basics () securityfocus com
Subject: Re: secure disposal of backup tapes

>         Depending upon the local I would tend to think that destruction
>         by fire would be against local codes due to the materials involved.
>
>         Would not a strong magnetic source work instead?

Using a magnetic source is degaussing, which results in Data Remnance.
For "Secret" and "Top Secret" classification level Media Destruction
is required. Desgaussing will not work for these classification
levels.

For "Confidential", destruction is preferred, but degaussing is
allowed. (I think).

--
In Peace,
Saqib Ali
http://www.xml-dev.com/blog/
Consensus is good, but informed dictatorship is better.


Kind Regards
Murad Talukdar
Senior Computer Operator
Subway Systems Australia
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