Data Destruction Standards Explained

Two questions decide your data destruction approach: can the device be reused, and what does your policy require as proof? Erasure preserves value; destruction removes it but is sometimes non-negotiable.

Whichever route is chosen, evidence is the deliverable. A certificate that cannot be mapped to a serial number is of limited use during an audit.

Build the evidence requirement into the engagement scope rather than requesting it after collection, when reconstruction becomes difficult.