NIST 800-88 Media Sanitization Complete Guide: Clear, Purge, and Destroy Methods Explained

NIST 800-88 Media Sanitization Complete Guide

Every year, researchers purchase second-hand hard drives from online marketplaces and recover sensitive data that should have been wiped long ago. A 2019 study by Blancco Technology Group found that 42% of used drives sold on eBay contained residual data, including personally identifiable information, financial records, and corporate intellectual property. In 2009, a British security researcher famously purchased hard drives from a market in Ghana that contained U.S. military contracts worth millions of dollars. These are not isolated incidents. They are the predictable consequence of organizations that fail to properly sanitize storage media before disposal.

Data does not simply vanish when you press delete or drag a file to the recycle bin. Without deliberate, verified sanitization, residual data persists on storage media and becomes a liability that can lead to data breaches, regulatory fines, and reputational damage. Recognizing this challenge, the National Institute of Standards and Technology published NIST Special Publication 800-88 Revision 1: Guidelines for Media Sanitization, which has become the authoritative reference for organizations seeking to properly dispose of data.

For cybersecurity professionals studying for the CISSP examination, media sanitization falls squarely within Domain 2: Asset Security, covering asset retention, data handling requirements, and end-of-life management. Understanding NIST 800-88 is not only a best practice but an examination objective.

This guide provides a thorough walkthrough of the NIST 800-88 framework, covering the three sanitization methods (Clear, Purge, and Destroy), specific guidance for different media types including the critical differences between HDDs and SSDs, regulatory requirements across major compliance frameworks, cloud sanitization considerations, and practical steps for building a media sanitization program within your organization.

Understanding NIST SP 800-88 Media Sanitization

NIST SP 800-88 Revision 1, published in December 2014 and still the current authoritative version, provides guidelines for making decisions about the sanitization of media and executing those decisions. Its scope covers all forms of electronic storage media including hard disk drives, solid-state drives, magnetic tapes, optical media, USB flash drives, mobile devices, and embedded storage in network equipment and IoT devices.

The standard establishes three progressively stronger sanitization methods:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                 NIST 800-88 SANITIZATION METHODS                            │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                             │
│  ┌──────────────┐    ┌──────────────┐    ┌──────────────────┐              │
│  │    CLEAR     │    │    PURGE     │    │    DESTROY       │              │
│  │              │    │              │    │                  │              │
│  │  Logical     │    │  Advanced    │    │  Physical        │              │
│  │  Overwrite   │───►│  Techniques  │───►│  Destruction     │              │
│  │              │    │              │    │                  │              │
│  │  Protects    │    │  Protects    │    │  Protects        │              │
│  │  against     │    │  against     │    │  against         │              │
│  │  simple      │    │  lab-level   │    │  all known       │              │
│  │  recovery    │    │  recovery    │    │  recovery        │              │
│  └──────────────┘    └──────────────┘    └──────────────────┘              │
│                                                                             │
│  ◄─── Increasing Security / Increasing Cost ───►                           │
│                                                                             │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

The decision of which method to use follows a structured flow:

1. Determine the confidentiality level of the data on the media (low, moderate, high, or classified)
2. Identify the media type (magnetic, flash, optical, etc.)
3. Determine the reuse intent (will the media be reused within the organization, transferred to another organization, or disposed of?)
4. Select the appropriate sanitization method based on the above factors

For low-confidentiality data on media that will stay within the organization, Clear is usually sufficient. For moderate-to-high-confidentiality data leaving the organization, Purge is recommended. For classified data or any scenario where absolute certainty is required, Destroy is the appropriate choice.

The standard also emphasizes verification: after sanitization, organizations must verify that the process was successful using appropriate tools, and document the entire process from decision through execution and verification.

Use our Media Sanitization Advisor to walk through the decision flow and get a specific recommendation for your scenario.

Clear: Logical Data Removal

Clear is the first level of media sanitization defined by NIST 800-88. It uses standard read/write commands or tools to overwrite data with non-sensitive values on all user-addressable storage locations. The goal is to replace stored data with new data values, making the original data unrecoverable through standard data recovery techniques.

How Clear Works

Clear methods apply logical techniques to overwrite data using the storage device's native interface. This includes:

• Single-pass overwrite: Writing zeros, ones, or a pattern across all addressable sectors
• Operating system-level formatting: A full format (not quick format) that writes to all sectors
• Firmware-based reset: Using the device's built-in factory reset or secure erase function at the basic level
• File-level overwriting: Tools that overwrite individual files and their associated metadata

What Clear Protects Against

Clear sanitization is effective against casual and moderately sophisticated data recovery methods, including:

• File system undelete utilities
• Commonly available forensic recovery software
• Operating system recovery tools
• Basic data carving techniques

What Clear Does NOT Protect Against

Clear does not protect against laboratory-level recovery techniques. This includes advanced forensic methods that can analyze residual magnetic signals, read data from reallocated or spare sectors on HDDs, or recover data from areas not addressed by standard write commands such as wear-leveled areas on SSDs.

When Clear Is Appropriate

Clear is appropriate for low-confidentiality data when the media will be reused within the same organization and security perimeter. It is also acceptable when the risk profile of the data does not warrant the cost or finality of Purge or Destroy methods.

Clear Methods by Media Type

Purge: Advanced Data Removal

Purge applies physical or logical techniques that render data unrecoverable using state-of-the-art laboratory techniques. This is a significant step above Clear and is the recommended minimum for data leaving organizational control when the media will not be physically destroyed.

Purge Methods

Block Erase (Flash Media): Applies an electric voltage to all flash storage blocks simultaneously, resetting them to their factory-erased state. This addresses all blocks including those in over-provisioned and wear-leveled areas that standard overwrite cannot reach.

Crypto Erase: Destroys the encryption key on a self-encrypting drive (SED), rendering all data on the drive permanently unreadable. This requires the drive to support hardware-level encryption compliant with standards such as TCG OPAL 2.0 or IEEE 1667. Crypto erase is the fastest Purge method, completing in seconds regardless of drive capacity.

Degaussing (Magnetic Media Only): Exposes the media to a powerful magnetic field that neutralizes the magnetic domains storing data. The required field strength depends on the media's coercivity, measured in Oersteds (Oe). Modern hard drives typically require degaussers rated at 5,000 Oe or higher. High-coercivity media such as LTO tapes may require 7,000 Oe or more. After degaussing, magnetic drives are permanently inoperable because servo tracks and firmware data are also erased.

ATA Secure Erase (HDDs): A firmware-level command built into ATA/SATA drives that instructs the drive to overwrite all user data areas, reallocated sectors, and other areas not normally accessible through standard write commands. This is more thorough than a software overwrite because the drive controller manages the process internally.

NVMe Format and Sanitize Commands (SSDs): NVMe specification provides two relevant commands. The Format NVM command can perform a low-level format with a secure erase option. The Sanitize command, introduced in NVMe 1.3, is more comprehensive and supports block erase, crypto erase, and overwrite operations at the controller level, addressing all user data and metadata areas including over-provisioned space.

Purge Methods Comparison

Destroy: Physical Media Destruction

Destroy is the most definitive sanitization method, rendering media physically incapable of storing data. It is required for classified media in many government frameworks and is the only option that provides absolute assurance against all known and theoretical recovery techniques.

Destruction Methods

Shredding: Industrial shredders reduce media to small fragments. For classified media, the NSA requires a maximum particle size of 2mm for rigid magnetic disk platters. Commercial shredders vary in output particle size, so verify the shredder meets the required standard for your data classification level.

Disintegration: Disintegrators use rotating knife mills to reduce media to fine particles, typically smaller than shredder output. This method is common for high-volume destruction facilities and produces consistently sized particles.

Pulverizing: Media is reduced to fine powder through mechanical impact. This is particularly effective for solid-state media where every memory chip must be physically destroyed to prevent recovery.

Incineration: Licensed incinerators operate at temperatures sufficient to melt and oxidize all storage substrates. This is the most thorough destruction method but has significant environmental considerations and regulatory requirements.

Melting: Metal components are melted in a furnace, completely destroying the storage substrate. This is sometimes used for aluminum hard drive platters and may be combined with recycling programs.

Destruction Methods Comparison

When Destruction Is the Only Option

Physical destruction is required or strongly recommended in the following scenarios:

• Media contained classified or top-secret data
• The media type does not support reliable Clear or Purge (e.g., damaged drives, some older flash media)
• Regulatory requirements mandate destruction (certain HIPAA and PCI-DSS scenarios)
• The drive is non-functional and cannot execute software-based sanitization commands
• Organizational policy requires destruction regardless of data classification
• The cost of Purge verification exceeds the residual value of the media

SSD vs HDD: Why Sanitization Differs

One of the most important distinctions in media sanitization is the fundamental difference between hard disk drives (HDDs) and solid-state drives (SSDs). Methods that reliably sanitize HDDs may be completely ineffective on SSDs, and vice versa.

Why Traditional HDD Methods Fail on SSDs

Traditional HDD sanitization relies on overwriting every sector on the magnetic platter. This works because HDDs have a direct, predictable mapping between logical block addresses and physical locations on the platter. When you write to logical block address 1000, the data always goes to the same physical location.

SSDs break this assumption through several mechanisms:

Wear Leveling: SSD controllers distribute writes evenly across all flash cells to prevent any single cell from wearing out prematurely. When you overwrite logical block 1000, the new data may be written to a completely different physical location, leaving the original data intact in the old location.

Over-Provisioning: SSDs reserve a percentage of their total flash capacity (typically 7-28%) that is not user-addressable. Data can reside in this over-provisioned space and is invisible to software-based overwrite tools.

Flash Translation Layer (FTL): The FTL is a mapping table maintained by the SSD controller that translates logical block addresses to physical flash locations. The FTL adds a layer of indirection that means software writing to the drive has no direct knowledge of or control over where data is physically stored.

Garbage Collection: SSDs asynchronously move and consolidate data blocks in the background. Data that appears to have been overwritten at the logical level may persist in physical locations that have not yet been reclaimed by garbage collection.

SSD vs HDD Sanitization Methods

The TRIM Command

The TRIM command informs the SSD controller that specific data blocks are no longer in use, allowing the controller to erase them during garbage collection. While TRIM can improve the effectiveness of logical sanitization by proactively clearing unused blocks, it does not guarantee immediate or complete erasure. TRIM is an optimization hint, not a sanitization command. It should not be relied upon as a sanitization method.

Self-Encrypting Drive Advantages

Self-encrypting drives (SEDs) that comply with TCG OPAL 2.0 encrypt all data written to the drive using a media encryption key (MEK) stored in a dedicated hardware component. Because all data on the drive is encrypted from the moment it is written, crypto erase is both instantaneous and comprehensive. The MEK is destroyed and replaced, rendering all previously written data permanently unreadable. For organizations planning their sanitization strategy, deploying SEDs from the outset provides the fastest and most reliable Purge option when drives reach end of life.

Certificates of Destruction and Chain of Custody

Sanitization is only as credible as its documentation. Without proper records, an organization cannot demonstrate compliance, cannot defend against claims of data mishandling, and cannot prove that sensitive information was properly disposed of.

Certificate of Destruction Requirements

A certificate of destruction is the formal record that media has been sanitized. It should include:

• Organization details: Name, address, and contact information of the media owner
• Media identification: Manufacturer, model, serial number, asset tag, and capacity for each item
• Data classification: The confidentiality level of the data that was on the media
• Sanitization method: The specific method used (e.g., NIST 800-88 Purge via ATA Secure Erase)
• Standard followed: Reference to NIST 800-88 or other applicable standard
• Verification method: How successful sanitization was confirmed
• Date and time: When the sanitization was performed
• Location: Where the sanitization took place
• Personnel: Name and signature of the person who performed the sanitization
• Witness: Name and signature of a witness (required for classified media and recommended as best practice)
• Vendor information: If a third party performed the sanitization, their company name, contact information, and applicable certifications (e.g., NAID AAA Certification)

Chain of Custody

Chain of custody tracking documents every transfer of media from the point of decommission to the point of verified sanitization or destruction. This record should capture:

• When the media was removed from service and by whom
• Where the media was stored between decommission and sanitization
• Physical security measures protecting media awaiting sanitization
• Every person who handled the media and when
• Transportation method and security if media was moved off-site
• Final disposition (sanitized and returned, sanitized and recycled, or destroyed)

Third-Party Vendor Evaluation

When outsourcing media destruction, evaluate vendors against these criteria:

• NAID AAA Certification: The National Association for Information Destruction's certification program includes unannounced audits
• Insurance and bonding: Adequate liability coverage for a data breach caused by their negligence
• Chain of custody procedures: How they track your media from pickup to destruction
• Destruction methods: Whether their equipment meets the required standard for your data classification
• On-site vs. off-site: On-site destruction eliminates transportation risk but may limit equipment options
• Certificates of destruction: Whether they provide itemized certificates with serial numbers
• Employee screening: Background check and security clearance policies for their staff
• Video documentation: Whether destruction is recorded and footage is available

Records Retention

Sanitization records should be retained according to your organization's records retention schedule. Common retention periods include seven years for financial data under SOX, six years for HIPAA records after the later of the creation date or last effective date, and indefinitely for certain government classified media records. When no specific regulation applies, a minimum of three years is considered a reasonable baseline.

Regulatory Requirements by Framework

Different compliance frameworks have varying requirements for media sanitization. Understanding these requirements is essential for mapping your sanitization program to your compliance obligations.

HIPAA Media Sanitization

HIPAA's Security Rule requires covered entities and business associates to implement policies and procedures for the final disposition of electronic protected health information (ePHI) and the hardware or electronic media on which it is stored. The standard at 45 CFR 164.310(d)(2)(i) requires that ePHI be rendered unreadable, undecipherable, and incapable of being reconstructed. While HIPAA does not prescribe a specific technical method, organizations should follow NIST 800-88 as the accepted interpretation. Clear is technically permissible, but Purge or Destroy is recommended given the sensitivity of health information and the significant breach notification costs under HITECH.

PCI-DSS 4.0 Media Controls

PCI-DSS 4.0 Requirement 9.4 mandates that media with cardholder data be destroyed when no longer needed for business or legal reasons. Acceptable destruction methods include cross-cut shredding so that cardholder data cannot be reconstructed, incineration, pulping for paper media, and purging or destroying electronic media in accordance with accepted industry standards such as NIST 800-88. Organizations must maintain an inventory of media and have a documented media destruction policy.

GDPR Right to Erasure

Article 17 of the GDPR grants data subjects the right to have their personal data erased without undue delay. When personal data resides on physical media that is being decommissioned, organizations must ensure that sanitization methods render the data irreversibly erased. The key legal concept is irreversibility: organizations must be able to demonstrate that no reasonable technical means could recover the data. This effectively requires Purge-level sanitization at minimum. Organizations should also consider that personal data may exist in backups, replicas, and archive media that must also be addressed.

Mapping Compliance to Sanitization

To simplify compliance, classify your data according to its regulatory requirements and map each classification to the appropriate sanitization method. Our Data Classification Architect tool can help you build a classification scheme that drives sanitization decisions automatically. The general principle is to sanitize to the highest standard required by any applicable regulation. If the same drive contains both SOX financial data (Clear minimum) and HIPAA patient data (Purge recommended), Purge is the appropriate method for the entire drive.

Cloud and Virtual Media Sanitization

As organizations migrate workloads to cloud environments, media sanitization takes on new dimensions. Physical media is no longer under your direct control, and the shared responsibility model changes who is responsible for what.

Shared Responsibility Model

In Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) environments, the cloud service provider (CSP) is responsible for physical media sanitization when they decommission hardware. Major CSPs including AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform publicly state that they follow NIST 800-88 or equivalent standards for physical media destruction. Your responsibility extends to the logical sanitization of data: ensuring that when you delete virtual disks, objects, snapshots, and databases, the data is actually removed from the CSP's systems.

Virtual Disk Sanitization

When decommissioning virtual machines, simply deleting the VM does not guarantee that the underlying storage blocks are zeroed or overwritten. Best practices include:

• AWS EBS: Delete EBS volumes explicitly. AWS states that EBS storage is zeroed before reallocation. For additional assurance, overwrite the volume contents before deletion. Encrypted EBS volumes with customer-managed KMS keys can be effectively crypto-shredded by scheduling key deletion.
• Azure Managed Disks: Delete disks through the portal or API. Azure performs storage zeroing at the infrastructure level. For enhanced assurance, use Azure Disk Encryption with customer-managed keys and delete the keys.
• GCP Persistent Disks: Delete disks explicitly. GCP's storage infrastructure performs cryptographic erasure of disk blocks upon deletion. Customer-managed encryption keys (CMEK) via Cloud KMS enable additional crypto-shredding assurance.

Cloud HSM Key Destruction

When using cloud Hardware Security Modules (HSMs) for key management, destroying the master key effectively performs crypto shredding on all data encrypted with keys derived from that master. AWS CloudHSM, Azure Dedicated HSM, and Google Cloud HSM all provide mechanisms to delete keys, but be aware that key deletion may have a waiting period (e.g., AWS KMS enforces a minimum 7-day waiting period for key deletion) to protect against accidental destruction.

Crypto Shredding for Cloud Data

Crypto shredding is the practice of encrypting data with a key you control and then destroying that key when the data needs to be sanitized. This is particularly effective in cloud environments because:

• It does not depend on the CSP performing any action
• It works regardless of where the data is stored (primary storage, backups, replicas, CDN caches)
• It is instantaneous: once the key is destroyed, the data is cryptographically unrecoverable
• It can satisfy GDPR right-to-erasure requests when designed as per-tenant or per-user key architectures

SaaS Data Deletion Challenges

SaaS applications present unique sanitization challenges. You typically have no visibility into the underlying storage architecture, no ability to execute low-level sanitization commands, and limited control over backup and replication policies. Best practices include:

• Review the SaaS provider's data deletion policy and SLA before onboarding
• Understand the provider's backup retention period (data may persist in backups after logical deletion)
• Request written confirmation of data destruction upon service termination
• For sensitive data, consider using client-side encryption so you can perform crypto shredding independently
• Review the provider's SOC 2 Type II report for controls related to data disposal

Multi-Tenant Isolation

In multi-tenant cloud environments, ensure that the CSP provides adequate isolation between tenants. Logical isolation through separate encryption keys per tenant is the minimum acceptable standard. Verify through the CSP's compliance certifications (SOC 2, ISO 27001) that their architecture prevents data leakage between tenants during storage decommissioning and reallocation.

Building a Media Sanitization Program

A media sanitization program is not a one-time project but an ongoing operational capability that must be integrated into your organization's broader information security and asset management programs.

Asset Inventory and Tracking

You cannot sanitize what you do not know exists. Maintain a comprehensive inventory of all storage media in your organization, including:

• Servers and workstations (internal HDDs and SSDs)
• Network-attached storage and storage area networks
• Backup tapes and cartridges
• USB drives and portable storage
• Mobile devices (phones, tablets, laptops)
• Embedded storage in printers, copiers, fax machines, and multifunction devices
• Network equipment (routers, switches, firewalls with local storage)
• IoT devices with persistent storage

Each item should be tracked with its serial number, data classification level, deployment date, and planned end-of-life date.

Media Lifecycle Management

Integrate sanitization into the complete media lifecycle:

1. Procurement: Specify self-encrypting drives to enable crypto erase at end of life
2. Deployment: Enable encryption from day one, record serial numbers in the asset inventory
3. Operation: Maintain data classification labels and track what data resides on which media
4. Decommission: Follow the sanitization decision flow based on data classification and media type
5. Verification: Confirm sanitization was successful using appropriate tools
6. Documentation: Generate and store the certificate of destruction
7. Disposal or Reuse: Proceed with recycling, resale, or redeployment as appropriate

Standard Operating Procedures

Document formal procedures for each sanitization method your organization uses. SOPs should include step-by-step instructions, required tools and equipment, personnel qualifications, verification procedures, and documentation templates. Review and update SOPs annually or whenever tools, equipment, or standards change.

Staff Training

Personnel performing media sanitization must be trained on:

• The organization's data classification scheme
• The NIST 800-88 decision framework
• Proper operation of sanitization tools and equipment
• Verification procedures
• Documentation and chain of custody requirements
• Handling and safety procedures for physical destruction equipment
• Incident procedures if sanitization fails or cannot be completed

Vendor Management

If outsourcing sanitization or destruction, establish formal contracts that specify:

• Required sanitization standards (reference NIST 800-88)
• Acceptable methods for each data classification level
• Chain of custody requirements
• Certificate of destruction requirements including itemized serial numbers
• Insurance and liability provisions
• Right to audit the vendor's facilities and processes
• Breach notification procedures if media is lost or compromised during handling

Audit and Compliance Monitoring

Regularly audit your sanitization program to ensure procedures are being followed:

• Reconcile sanitized media against the decommission inventory (no gaps)
• Verify certificates of destruction are complete and properly filed
• Review vendor compliance with contractual requirements
• Conduct periodic spot checks of sanitization effectiveness using forensic verification tools
• Report sanitization metrics to management (volume processed, methods used, exceptions)

Start building your program with our Media Sanitization Advisor tool, which walks you through the NIST 800-88 decision flow and generates method recommendations based on your specific media types and data classifications.

Common Sanitization Mistakes

Even organizations with formal sanitization policies make mistakes that leave data exposed. Understanding these common failures helps you design a program that avoids them.

Relying on Format or Delete

The most common mistake is treating standard file deletion or quick formatting as sanitization. Deleting a file removes its directory entry but leaves the data blocks untouched. Quick formatting rebuilds the file system metadata without overwriting data sectors. In both cases, the original data remains on the media and is recoverable with freely available tools. Always use a dedicated sanitization tool that performs at least Clear-level overwriting.

Using HDD Methods on SSDs

Applying multi-pass overwrite tools designed for HDDs (such as the legacy DoD 5220.22-M standard) to SSDs provides a false sense of security. Due to wear leveling and over-provisioning, the overwrite passes do not reach all physical flash cells. Use SSD-specific methods: NVMe Sanitize, block erase, or crypto erase for self-encrypting drives.

Forgetting Embedded Storage in Peripherals

Modern printers, copiers, fax machines, and multifunction devices contain internal hard drives or flash storage that cache documents. When these devices are returned from a lease, donated, or disposed of, their internal storage may contain copies of every document ever printed, scanned, or faxed. Include all such devices in your asset inventory and sanitization program.

Ignoring IoT and Network Equipment

Routers, switches, firewalls, VPN concentrators, and IoT devices often contain configuration data, logs, encryption keys, and cached credentials on internal flash storage. Factory reset functions vary in thoroughness. Before decommissioning network equipment, remove all configuration data using the vendor's secure erase procedure, and verify by inspecting the device's startup configuration.

Skipping Verification

Sanitization without verification is an assumption, not a fact. After performing Clear or Purge, use forensic tools or manufacturer-provided utilities to verify that data is no longer recoverable. For physical destruction, visually inspect the output material to confirm the required particle size was achieved. Document verification results as part of the certificate of destruction.

Missing Mobile Devices and Removable Media

USB drives, SD cards, and mobile phones are frequently overlooked because they are small and numerous. Implement a removable media policy that tracks issuance and return, and include all removable media in the sanitization inventory at end of life. For mobile devices, a cryptographic factory reset (where the device encryption key is destroyed as part of the reset) provides Purge-level assurance on modern iOS and Android devices.

Failing to Account for Backups and Replicas

Sanitizing a primary drive while forgetting that the same data exists on backup tapes, disaster recovery replicas, and development copies of production databases leaves the data exposed. Your sanitization program must account for all copies of the data, including backups, and either sanitize or destroy them as well, or ensure they age out within the backup retention period.

You can use tools like File Metadata Analyzer to check files for residual metadata that may indicate incomplete sanitization, and Entropy Analyzer to verify that a sanitized drive contains only high-entropy random data or zero-fill patterns rather than structured recoverable content.

Conclusion

Media sanitization is a critical and often underestimated component of the data lifecycle. Data does not simply disappear when it is no longer needed. It persists on storage media until it is deliberately, verifiably, and irreversibly removed through an appropriate sanitization method.

The NIST SP 800-88 Rev. 1 framework provides a clear, structured approach to making sanitization decisions:

• Assess the confidentiality level of the data and the media type
• Select the appropriate method: Clear for low-risk internal reuse, Purge for data leaving the organization, Destroy for the highest assurance
• Execute the sanitization using validated tools and trained personnel
• Verify that the process was successful using forensic or diagnostic tools
• Document every step with certificates of destruction and chain of custody records

The differences between HDDs and SSDs make this more complex than a single policy can address. Flash storage requires SSD-specific methods, cloud environments require a shared-responsibility approach, and regulatory frameworks impose varying minimum standards. A mature media sanitization program accounts for all of these variables through comprehensive asset tracking, formal procedures, staff training, and ongoing audit.

Whether you are preparing for a CISSP examination, building a compliance program, or simply trying to responsibly decommission old equipment, the principles in this guide provide the foundation for doing it correctly.

Start with our Media Sanitization Advisor tool to walk through the NIST 800-88 decision flow for your specific scenario and receive a tailored sanitization recommendation.