Degaussing is also called disk degaussing and permanently destroys data on a disk. Which statement describes this process?

Degaussing is also called disk degaussing and permanently destroys data on a disk. Which statement describes this process?

• A. It encrypts the disk's data
• B. It rewrites the disk's sectors with random data
• C. It demagnetizes the disk so that all data stored on the disk is permanently destroyed
• D. It physically shreds the disk into pieces

Answer: (C)

Degaussing works by erasing data through a strong magnetic field. This field disrupts the magnetic domains on the disk that encode bits, so the stored information becomes unreadable and cannot be recovered. In other words, the data are permanently destroyed because the magnetic encoding itself is effectively erased. This is different from encrypting data, which hides information but can be reversed with the correct key. It’s also different from overwriting sectors with random data, which is another method of erasing but uses data-writing rather than magnetic realignment. And it’s not about physically shredding the disk, which destroys the media itself rather than just erasing the stored data magnetically.

Degaussing works by erasing data through a strong magnetic field. This field disrupts the magnetic domains on the disk that encode bits, so the stored information becomes unreadable and cannot be recovered. In other words, the data are permanently destroyed because the magnetic encoding itself is effectively erased.

This is different from encrypting data, which hides information but can be reversed with the correct key. It’s also different from overwriting sectors with random data, which is another method of erasing but uses data-writing rather than magnetic realignment. And it’s not about physically shredding the disk, which destroys the media itself rather than just erasing the stored data magnetically.