Question

What level of secure media disposition as defined by NIST SP-800-88 is best suited to a hard drive from a high-security system that will be reused in the same company by an employee of a different level or job type?

A. Clear
B. Purge
C. Destroy
D. Reinstall

Answer 1

The best level of secure media disposition for a hard drive from a high-security system to be reused within the same company is 'Purge', as outlined by NIST SP-800-88, to ensure that previously stored sensitive data is unrecoverable.

Step-by-step explanation:

The level of secure media disposition for a hard drive from a high-security system that will be reused in the same company by an employee of a different level or job type as defined by NIST SP-800-88 is Purge. Purging involves a more intense level of data destruction than clearing, ensuring that data recovery is infeasible using state of the art laboratory techniques. Since the hard drive is to be reused within the same organization but by a different employee and potentially for a different purpose, it is essential to ensure that any sensitive data previously stored on the drive is unrecoverable. This is advisable over the 'Clear' method, which may allow for information retrieval using standard data recovery methods, and 'Destroy', which is unnecessarily extreme given that the hard drive will be reused. 'Reinstall' is not a disposal method mentioned in NIST SP-800-88 and does not guarantee the security of sensitive data.