On Thu, Dec 27, 2001 at 10:07:55PM -0800, Keith Morse wrote:
> Just curious. I've heard of entities that require triple-double dog
> security, nuclear weapons secrets or some such nonesense, have a formal
> destruction procedures for the magnetic media.
Not just that--essentially anything that's contained data over a specified
security level must be thoroughly destroyed, such that forensic data
recovery methods can't work. Since these work by detecting residual flux
due to head positioning imperfections, field overlap, etc., they're tuned
to dealing with exceedingly marginal data, so the only way to really be
sure is to nuke the media from orbit.
I remember the best destruction instructions were for old Univac
Fastrand drums. These were multi-ton behemoths with a LARGE--say,
2+ meter-long by 1+ meter in diameter--spinning drum coated with media
oxide, and fixed read/write heads suspended over the surface on the frame.
We were told that the drum itself was made from turned and trued sections
of metal sewer pipe--dunno, I never saw proof myself, but the drum was
certainly large enough to make this possible. It provided the largest,
fastest media available for its day, though.
Something this big is hard to destroy. Not to worry, though; the military
can cope. Use thermite grenades.
I never got to, but always WANTED to. (Usually about 3 in the AYEM...)
--
Dave Ihnat
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