Secure data erasure, with certificate
Storage media reaching end of life or changing hands? We sanitize them to NIST SP 800-88 and hand you a certificate of erasure for every device — documented proof that your data is not going with them.
Why it’s necessary
A drive that leaves your hands must take nothing with it
End of life, lease returns, resale, redeployment: every media device that leaves your control is a data-leak risk. Deleting files — even reformatting — leaves data recoverable. Only sanitization performed to a recognized standard, verified and documented, protects you.
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NIST SP 800-88 compliantThe reference standard for media sanitization, applied at the category appropriate to each device and its destination.
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Certificate of erasure per deviceA named document for every drive or system processed — your proof for audits and contractual obligations.
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Full traceabilityDocumented chain of custody from pickup to final report, on your premises or at our Montreal expertise centre.
The NIST SP 800-88 standard
Three sanitization levels, driven by where the media goes next
| Category | What it is | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Clear | Logical overwrite of data using standard techniques, defeating recovery with common tools. | Media redeployed internally, within a comparably trusted environment. |
| Purge | Advanced techniques (cryptographic overwrite, firmware sanitize commands, crypto-erase of self-encrypting drives) making recovery infeasible even in a laboratory. | Media leaving your control: resale, lease return, donation. |
| Destroy | Physical destruction of the media (shredding, disintegration), rendering it unusable and unrecoverable. | Defective or highly sensitive media, or when internal policy requires it. |
What every certificate contains
- Media identification: manufacturer, model, serial number, capacity
- Method applied and NIST category (Clear, Purge or Destroy)
- Post-erasure verification result
- Date, location and responsible operator
Supported media
- Rotational drives (HDD) and solid-state drives (SSD, NVMe)
- Self-encrypting drives (SED) — cryptographic erase
- Complete storage arrays at decommissioning
- On-site or in-lab service, per your security requirements
Your obligations, demonstrated. The final report consolidates all
certificates and helps you demonstrate compliance with your regulatory and contractual
obligations — at fleet refreshes, lease ends and security audits.
Media to decommission?
Tell us the number and type of devices — we will propose the appropriate NIST category and a timeline.