hard drive crusher Archives

HAMR vs. MAMR: What’s the Difference?

May 14, 2021 at 5:59 pm by Amanda Canale

Before we get into the nitty gritty differences between HAMR and MAMR and what they are, we want to give a quick refresher on hard disk drives (HDDs) and solid state drives (SSDs).

HDDs

Hard disk drives (HDDs) are a type of data storage device that use rotating disks, platters, and magnetic material to store and retrieve data. HDDs also contain actuator arms that read and write data while the rotational platters spin. While HDDs are cheaper and can store more data than their counterpart the SSD, they are slower and susceptible to data loss when interacting with magnets due to their internal magnetic material.

When it comes to destroying end-of-life HDDs, SEM always suggests best practices per the National Security Agency (NSA). Depending on the information stored on HDDs, they should always be destroyed either by shredding or crushing; however, if a drive contains classified information, degaussing prior to destroying the drive is required. Degaussing is the process by which a drive’s magnetic field is essentially scrambled, making the data and drive completely inoperable. Once degaussed, the drive should then be crushed or shredded by an NSA approved crusher or shredder. Combined, this is by far the most secure method of data sanitization for HDDs.

SSDs

Solid state drives (SSDs) are another type of data storage device that store data using integrated circuits. Unlike HDDs, SSDs do not include an actuator head and instead store information into cells that can be retrieved instantaneously. SSDs are also quite faster than HDDs, causing computers to run much more quickly. The downside? SSDs store less data per drive and can be significantly more expensive.

Since SSDs do not contain magnets, they cannot be degaussed. Therefore, they must be destroyed by a machine that is SSD-specific given the necessary final particle size. The final particle size is crucial to ensuring that none of your SSDs’ information is left behind. Since SSDs do not contain rotational platters, any small chip that is not destroyed can potentially contain proprietary information and get into the wrong hands. The NSA requires that end-of-life SSDs containing classified information be destroyed to a final particle size of 2mm or less. Drives containing other kinds of information can be destroyed in an SSD disintegrator, shredder, or crusher.

Now let’s get to it! Technical lingo aside, the two main techniques used to increase a hard disk drive’s capacity are adding more platters to the drive in order to increase its density, or adding more bits (or pieces of data) on a disk. Heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) and microwave-assisted magnetic recording (MAMR) are just two steps in the evolutionary trajectory of data storage management.

HAMR

Since the media must be heated as data is being written, heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) uses laser-powered heat to the drive’s grains, reducing the drive’s magnetic hardness. This process allows the drive to flip its magnetic polarity, and therefore bit value, through the temperature changes. This method uses recording material that is less prone to thermal instability, leading to smaller recording bits in HDDs, and greater stability and reliability of media.

MAMR

Microwave-assisted magnetic recording (MAMR) uses a different technique to essentially accomplish the same goal. Instead of laser-powered heat, MAMR uses 20-40 GHz frequencies to bombard the HDDs disk platter with circular microwave fields. During this method, the drive’s actuator head uses a spin-torque oscillator that creates an electromagnetic field near the write pole at a lower magnetic field that enables denser and more reliable drives. Unlike HAMR, MAMR can flip the domain’s magnetic polarity much more easily.

While both methods serve essentially the same purpose of lowering magnetic hardness to increase storage capacity, some experts cannot seem to agree which is more sustainable. While MAMR technology is expected to increase an HDD’s capacity from 4 TBpsi to approximately 40 TB, HAMR can only increase its capacity from 2 TBpsi to between 20 and 40 TB. HAMR supporters claim that the laser technology allows drives to spin for much longer and with fewer issues, whereas MAMR supporters claim that high heat actually causes a drive to burnout faster.

It is important to note that HAMR drives cannot be degaussed at this point. Conversely, MAMR drives CAN be degaussed; that said, a question remains on the required gauss level to fully sanitize MAMR drives. Existing degausser technology is such that residual data remains on degaussed MAMR drives even when using a 20,000 gauss NSA listed degausser. It is therefore accepted within the industry that existing NSA listed degaussers will be insufficient to sanitize HAMR and MAMR drives and that these drives will need to be either disintegrated to 2mm or incinerated at end-of-life.

How NOT to Destroy Hard Drives

March 2, 2021 at 8:00 am by Amanda Canale

Since the first days of chat message boards and social media profiles, we’ve all heard the saying, “don’t put all of your information online because it never truly goes away.” The same can be said for end-of-life data and information on rotational hard disk drives (HDDs): once information is on there, it’s sometimes near to impossible to fully remove. Aside from implementing a secure, in-house destruction plan, there are many other methods we do not recommend using. Let’s break some of those down.

Recycling and/or Throwing Away

While we support the green initiative in trying to recycle your end-of-life drives, unfortunately, this cannot be securely done. For starters, the majority of our waste and recycling ends up in landfills and dumpsters which are gold mines for hackers and thieves. On top of that, recycling and waste is not transported securely, making it easy for people to intercept and have access to your most sensitive information.

It is reported that, on average, recyclables and waste sit on sorting floors for up to four weeks before finally being destroyed. Anything can happen within that length of time! After this period, remnants of your information or data are not magically sorted; dozens of employees’ sort what the machines cannot and have direct access to your data. By opting for a seemingly eco-friendlier alternative, you will only put your data at more risk.

Deleting and/or Overwriting

One of the more common (and misleading) data destruction misconceptions is that erasing or overwriting the information of an end-of-life drive and degaussing are synonymous with one another. While methods such as cryptographic erasure and data erasure would allow the drive to be used again, it is not a secure and foolproof destruction. Information, whether encrypted or unencrypted, can still linger behind on the drive and be accessed, even if it has previously been deleted or overwritten.

Burning

Burning a hard drive, whether with a blow torch or roasting it on a stick, is highly discouraged. Not only would this require protective gear and holding platters at a safe distance with a heat resistant tool, but burning hard drives will also lead to harmful fumes to be released into the air in the process.

Unfortunately, just because a drive experiences physical damage, it does not mean that the information has taken the same hit. Take for instance the 2003 explosion of the Columbia space shuttle. As the spacecraft made its way into the atmosphere, a piece of the insulation foam had detached, causing it to become enflamed and combust. The horrific disaster resulted in the loss of everyone aboard as the shuttle disintegrated on its way back to Earth.

Just about six months later, a rotational hard drive that was aboard the Columbia was found in a riverbed. It was discovered that the drive had not only survived the initial explosion, but it also survived a 40-mile fall while on fire at terminal velocity and staying in a muddy riverbed for six months. The most interesting part? Even after surviving all of that, it was discovered that 99% of the data that resided on the drive was recovered. It’s safe to say that burning a hard drive is not only harmful to you and the environment but is a tactic that simply won’t work. We suggest sticking to roasting just marshmallows over future fires.

Photo of recovered Columbia space shuttle hard drive

ITAD

ITADs, or information technology asset disposition companies, are third-party vendors that sanitize and destroy end-of-life data and drives. While the appeal of these types of companies can be quite convincing, we at SEM do not recommend utilizing these types of companies when getting rid of your end-of-life data. While there are some reputable ITAD and data sanitization companies out there, the risk may not be worth the convenience. Security risks can be unpredictable and potentially catastrophic as it can be far too easy for ITAD vendors to misuse, mishandle, and misplace drives when in transportation, destruction, or disposal. It has also been reported that some vendors sell end-of-life devices and their sensitive information to online third parties.

During the summer of 2020, financial institution Morgan Stanley came under fire for an alleged data breach of their clients’ financial information after an ITAD vendor misplaced a number of drives that were storing personally identifiable information (PII). Instead, we suggest purchasing one of our NSA listed devices, keeping the chain of custody within the company, and conducting all destruction in-house.

Other (Un)Worthy Methods

Submerging the HDD in acid
Using a drive as target practice
Running over HDDs with your car
Giving HDDs a bubble bath
Physical destruction with a blunt object
Attaching industrial-strength magnets

Regardless of the catalyst for end-of-life drive destruction, it is always best practice to conduct destruction and degaussing in-house. While degaussing is not possible for the destruction of end-of-life data on solid state drives (SSDs), SEM recommends always following NSA standards and degaussing all magnetic media, including hard disk drives (HDDs), prior to destruction. Solid state drives (SSDs) and optical media cannot be degaussed, so crushing and/or shredding is recommended.

By first degaussing then physically destroying HDDs, companies are choosing the most secure method of data destruction per NSA guidelines as this is the only way to be certain that the end-of-life data has been properly destroyed. When magnetic media is degaussed, our devices use powerful magnetic fields to sanitize the magnetic tapes and drive, wiping all sensitive information from the device. This act renders the drive completely inoperable, which should always be the end goal. Once the device has been degaussed, it should be physically destroyed. The combination of degaussing and physical destruction for HDDs is without a doubt the most secure method of ensuring your end-of-life data stays at the end of its life.

It is also important to remember that a data breach is a data breach, no matter the level of impact. While not all degaussing machines are adequate to demagnetize all rotational hard disk drives, at SEM we have an array of various high security NSA listed/CUI and unclassified magnetic media degaussers to meet any need and regulation.

Cost of a Data Breach vs. Hard Drive Crusher: How You Can Save Millions

October 6, 2020 at 8:15 am by Amanda Canale

In the age of Big Data, data breaches are, unfortunately, no longer a possibility of “if” but “when.” As we get deeper into the digital age, hackers and thieves no longer need to breach a facility’s physical barriers in order to steal your or your clients’ personally identifiable information (PII). They can access your confidential information through hacking the cloud, phishing company employees via email, and other more advanced virtual methods, with some resorting to the tried and true methods of dumpster diving or surfing eBay for hard drives.

From January to June 2019 there were more than 3,800 publicly disclosed data breaches that resulted in 4.1 billion records being compromised. That’s only within a six-month time window. While the rate of data breaches so far is slightly lower in 2020, there’s no real sign of it slowing down. For example, in July of this year, financial institution Morgan Stanley came under fire for an alleged data breach of their clients’ financial information after an ITAD (IT asset disposition) vendor misplaced various pieces of computer equipment storing customers’ personally identifiable information over a period of four years.

As we’ve stated in previous blogs, introducing third party data sanitization vendors into your end-of-life destruction procedure significantly increases the chain of custody, meaning that companies face a far higher risk of data breaches every step of the way. There have even been reports of some vendors selling end-of-life devices and their sensitive information to online third parties.

As the number of data breaches increase every year, so does the cost. According to the IBM and Ponemon Institute report, the cost of an average data breach in 2020 is $3.86 million, a 10% rise over the past five years. These costs range from money lost and reputation maintenance to regulatory fines and ransomware, among other direct and indirect costs. Depending on the company’s client demographic, state privacy lawyers may also need to be hired, which adds additional costs.

The most expensive type of record is client PII and the least expensive type is employee PII, with healthcare taking the cake as the number one industry in terms of average cost of a data breach. In the U.S., organizations pay on average $8.9 million per data breach, averaging out to approximately $146.00 per compromised record. For reference, a one terabyte (1TB) hard drive can hold up to 310,000 photos, 500 hours of HD video, 1,700 hours of music, and upwards of 6.5 million document pages. Multiply those document pages by the average cost per record and you have a hefty, burning hole in your company’s pockets.

On average, 61% of data breach costs are within the first year, with 24% in the next 12-24 months, and the remaining 15% more than two years later. It is because of this statistic that it is important to remember that there is no statute of limitations when it comes to data breaches. Companies with proper data security and end-of-life data destruction methods are likely to pay less in the case of a data breach but for those with little or no protection methods in place, the cost could be astronomical. Take for instance, British Airlines and Marriott: the two companies suffered data breaches in 2018 that cost them both upwards of $300 million.

According to the IBM report, it can take about 280 days for a company to identify and contain a data breach. Unfortunately, some companies may not be aware of these data breaches within that time, which can increase the cost of the prolonged breach. Marriott and Morgan Stanley had only discovered their data breaches after they had both been hacked over a four-year period. In cases like these, time really is money.

The consequences of improper data destruction are endless. It’s why we at SEM stress that companies handling confidential information opt for in-house end-of-life destruction as their sole destruction method. By purchasing an in-house IT crusher, such as our Model 0101 Automatic Hard Drive Crusher, companies have complete oversight and can be certain that their clients’ information has been securely destroyed. As we’ve learned, a reactionary approach is simply not enough.

Our Model 0101 has the capability to destroy all hard drives regardless of size, format, or type up to 1.85” high, which includes desktop, laptop, and server drives. With a simple push of a button, our crusher delivers 12,000 pounds of force via a conical punch that causes catastrophic damage to the drive and its internal platter, rendering it completely inoperable. That’s a lot of force. This model has a durability rating from the National Security Agency (NSA) of 204 drives per hour but has the ability to destroy up to 2,250 laptop drives per hour.

When comparing the cost of our Model 0101 at $5,066.88 (and an average lifespan of ten years) to a possible data breach resulting in millions of dollars, the right answer should be simple: by purchasing in-house end-of-life data destruction equipment, your company is making the most cost-effective, safest, and securest decision. Think of it as VERY inexpensive insurance!

At SEM we have an array of various high-quality NSA listed/CUI and unclassified magnetic media degaussers, IT crushers, and enterprise IT shredders to meet any regulation. Any one of our exceptional sales team members are more than happy to help answer any questions you may have and help determine which machine will best meet your destruction needs.

For more information on how maximizing every square foot of your facility with in-house data destruction is the best financial investment when it comes to proper data security, you can hear from Ben Figueroa, SEM’s Global Commercial Sales Director, below.

The Case For Outsourcing Destruction

December 21, 2019 at 2:58 pm by SEM

Did you know that business espionage professionals consider a company’s trash dumpster to be the most available source of competitive and private information? This is due to people overlooking what they are throwing in the trash can and not taking information security as serious as it truly is. This is a major concern because any one document could contain important company information or employee information that is harmful if it ends up in the wrong hands.

Depending on your application, there are two options that can help increase your information security:

Option 1: Shred Service -Most commonly used for: Unclassified Applications

Questions to ask prior to signing a contract:

Who are the people destroying my information?
Are they a well recognized company?
Do they perform background checks on all of their employees?
What is the shred particle size?
Am I in compliance with my specifications?
Am I satisfied with the particle?
Is this cost efficient Am I overpaying?
Would it be more feasible to make a one time purchase to buy equipment?

Option 2: Purchase Equipment – Most commonly used for: Sensitive or Classified Applications

Questions to ask prior to purchasing equipment:

What is my volume?
Is this a constant volume?
Will I get a constant use of this machine or am I simply taking care of a purge?
Is this the right equipment for my application?
Does this fit my volume?
Does it have the capabilities that I need?

Although these options have been directed towards paper shredding, always consider that information resides on many different forms of media. There is equipment that is capable of destroying hard drives, tapes (all types), CD’s, DVD’s, floppy discs, zip drives, microfilm etc. So whether a shred service or purchasing equipment fits your application best – always make sure you evaluate your options and take the correct steps towards protecting your companies’ information.

Security Engineered Machinery Introduces Manual Crusher for Both HDDs and SSDs

July 30, 2019 at 12:22 pm by Heidi White

Model 0100 SSD/HDD quickly and easily destroys both rotational hard drives and solid state boards without electricity

Security Engineered Machinery Co., Inc. (SEM), global leader in high security information end-of-life solutions, is pleased to announce the introduction of the Model 0100 SSD/HDD manual solid state and rotational hard drive crusher. This new product provides an affordable, efficient solution for organizations with low volumes of hard disk drives (HDDs) and solid state drives (SSDs) requiring physical destruction.

“The 0100 SSD/HDD was designed to be a portable, cost-effective, and eco-friendly option for the efficient destruction of IT media,” said Andrew Kelleher, SEM President and CEO. “This unique device has a low profile, is quiet and clean, and operates by using a simple lever, making it a convenient, safe solution for smaller office environments.”

SEM’s Model 0100 SSD/HDD manual crusher easily destroys both rotational hard drives and solid state boards. The unit includes an SSD kit consisting of a wear plate and press plate for holding solid state boards during the crushing cycle. Manual operation makes crushing drives efficient and versatile, providing ultimate portability and ease of operation. SEM’s Model 0100 SSD/HDD exerts up to three tons of crushing force, and destruction time is five seconds or less. The heavy-duty steel anvil punctures and destroys the drive chassis and platters of HDDs as well as chips found on solid state boards. Quality, solid steel parts ensure smooth and consistent operation.

The 0100 SSD/HDD has a list price of $1,299 and is TAA compliant. An optional stand is available. For more information, click here.

NIST Guidelines vs. the NSA EPL on Hard Drive Destruction: Clearing Up Confusion

February 5, 2019 at 5:44 pm by Heidi White

Over the 20 years I have been working for SEM, I have explained to customers and former military colleagues about the requirements for classified destruction. Lately these requirements have become stricter due to the ever-changing technologies. It’s not as easy as just putting your paper in a shredder or disintegrator and walking away knowing your classified is destroyed. Your classified now comes on many types of media. With so many types of media, a requirement had to be set forth by the National Security Agency (NSA) as to how these needed to be destroyed. We will discuss destroying hard drives as it relates to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 800-88 and NSA Evaluated Products List (EPL) for Hard Drive Destruction.

For this blog, I will only discuss a brief overview for the destruction of hard disks (SCSI, ATA, SATA). NIST 800-88 explains on page 16, table 5-1 there are three methods of destroying hard disks. The first is to CLEAR. This method uses software to overwrite the storage space on the media with non-sensitive data (unclassified) and gives you the option to reuse your hard drive. The second is to PURGE. This method uses degaussing and the Secure Erase command present on some ATA drives. This method is very effective again for unclassified drives. The third method is PHYSICAL DESTRUCTION. This method is the standard for classified data and it destroys the drive by using disintegration, pulverization, melting, or incineration.

emp 1000HS — SEM’s NSA listed Model EMP1000-HS degausser is an ideal solution for rotational hard drives; however, degaussing has NO effect on solid state media.

The second paragraph of the NSA/CSS EPL for Hard Drive Destruction Devices states, “Hard drive destruction devices on their own DO NOT SANITIZE magnetic and/or solid-state storage devices; use of these machines is only authorized in conjunction with degaussing for routine magnetic hard disk drive sanitization or by themselves only in extreme emergency situations. Sanitization guidance for classified storage devices is located in the NSA/CSS PM 9-12 Storage Device Sanitization Manual.” This leads you to believe that degaussing could be used on a solid state drive (SSD). This is misleading! A magnetic field created by a degausser will cause no damage to an SSD. A degausser will only destroy information on a standard rotational magnetic drive.

ssd shredder — Classified SSDs must be disintegrated to a 2mm particle size.

In the third paragraph it states; “All shredders designed for hard drives are approved for deformation of magnetic hard drive platters. Shredding alone will NOT SANITIZE magnetic and/or solid state storage devices unless a two-millimeter particle size or less of the magnetic disk or solid-state memory chip is accomplished in accordance with NSA/CSS PM 9-12 Storage Device Sanitization Manual.” This states that if you have a hard drive or SSD, you can shred it to a 2mm particle to sanitize the drive. This is confusing. Although the NSA guidelines REQUIRE you to reduce a classified SSD to a two-millimeter particle to render the device sanitized, the machine that does this may not be able to shred a standard magnetic hard disk drive to this two-millimeter particle. This is due to the size and materials used in the manufacturing of a magnetic hard disk.

In conclusion, in order to completely destroy the information in a hard drive is a two-step process for a magnetic hard drive and a single step process for a SSD.

A magnetic disk MUST BE degaussed using an NSA approved degausser THEN physically destroyed. This second step of physical destruction is left up to the end user and can vary greatly. It can be as simple as drilling a hole in the drive, hitting it several times with a hammer, or using a hydraulic punch or hard drive shredder. A solid state drive MUST be shredded to a two-millimeter particle and cannot be degaussed.

If you have any questions or would like to talk to a security professional, feel free to reach out to me or any SEM representative.

Karl Lotvedt, DC Region Sales Support, has over 20 years of experience with SEM, including targeted expertise in understanding military procedures and requirements. Prior to joining SEM, Karl spent 20 years in the United States Air Force including over five years in procurement. Now retired from the Air Force, Karl currently serves as an Air Force resource advisor. Karl received his AA and CIS from National College in Rapid City, SD.

Hard Drive Data Destruction and Sanitization: Understanding Your Options

December 18, 2018 at 9:23 pm by Heidi White

In the age of sophisticated cyberattacks and data breaches, digital security continues to be a primary concern for government organizations and businesses of every industry. To be effective, today’s security procedures must treat internal threats with the same level of importance as external threats. While it may not be the first thing that comes to mind, a key element of your overall digital security strategy is your plan for what you do with information when it’s no longer needed. Hard drive data destruction is a general term for the process of clearing all sensitive information from your computer hard drives and solid state drives (SSDs), and it’s an essential step for protecting your organization, your customers, and your employees.

There are three methods of hard drive data destruction: erasing (sanitizing), crushing, and destroying. Here’s a look at each option.

Sanitization of the Hard Drive (Erasing): Degaussing

degauss-destroy — L to R: SEM Model EMP-1000HS degausser, SEM Model 0101 hard drive crusher, and SEM iWitness media tracking solution

Degaussing is a very effective method of erasing data on magnetic media (hard drives and or data tapes). If you are trying to erase unclassified or sensitive data, a commercial degausser such as the SEM Model EMP-1000 is a perfect solution. The SEM EMP-1000 is the most powerful commercially sold degausser in the marketplace today. With the strength in power at 16,000 gauss (1.6 Tesla), it erases the highest coercivity magnetic media available today without the use of adapters.

However, if you are erasing classified or highly sensitive magnetic media, the NSA listed SEM EMP-1000HS would be the correct choice for your organization. The EMP-1000HS is a 20,000 gauss (2.0 Tesla) machine that has been evaluated by the National Security Agency for use on classified media.

Considerations: when choosing to sanitize hard drives, be sure to choose a company such as SEM that offers both NSA approved and commercial (PII/CUI) type degaussers. Regardless of the sanitization level required, don’t take the easy path of simply reformatting the drive or removing the directory. These methods simply make the data on the hard drive harder to find. The hard drive should be completely erased (sanitized), which the SEM EMP-1000 series can assure your organization on every single degauss cycle.

Crushing the Hard Drive

hard-drive-crusher-sledgehammer — A hard drive is decommissioned with a SEM Model 0101 hard drive crusher, which is used to permanently destroy the units according to the approved destruction method at Malmstrom’s client systems center. In order to prevent unwanted review of old files and documents, physical storage mediums are degaussed and physically broken before being recycled. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Collin Schmidt)

Most organizations and their IT leaders know that destroying a hard drive is the most secure way to dispose of data, but they often mistake damaging it for actual drive destruction. Damaging a hard drive with a hammer or by driving a nail into it is less time consuming than hard drive shredding or crushing, but it is also much less secure. For lower volume applications, hard drive crushing is the most secure and economical solution.

SEM’s Model 0101 automatic hard drive crusher is a hard drive crusher that has been evaluated by the NSA and meets NSA and DoD compliance guidelines for the physical damage of media. Note that all classified rotational hard drives MUST be degaussed prior to destruction. Not only does the Model 0101 punch a hole in the drive, it also bends the platter, rendering the drive inoperable. This handy device is compact and affordable, making it the ideal solution for smaller installments or where portability is of key importance.

Destroying the Hard Drive

The fastest and easiest way to destroy a hard drive is to shred it. Hard drive shredders quickly chew up hard drives to particle sizes ranging from 0.75″-1.5″ for rotational media to 0.375″ for solid state media. The SEM Model 0315 Combo Shredder is SEM’s best-selling hard drive shredder that destroys both HDDs and SSDs in one convenient device.

Considerations: The most compliant form of rotational hard drive data destruction that protects your organization from liability associated with data stored on magnetic media’s the NSA’s two-step process of degauss and destroy. This process is only NSA compliant when NSA listed devices are used. Consider the SEM Model EMP-1000HS degausser and the SEM Model 0101 hard drive crusher or SEM Model 0315 hard drive shredder. However, solid state media is not degaussable and stores significant amounts of data on tiny chips. Therefore, the most secure way to destroy solid state drives is by following the NSA directive that mandates a 2mm or less particle, such as is achieved with the SEM Model 2SSD.

Mike Palaia is Western Regional Sales Manager at Security Engineered Machinery (SEM)

SEM 2 in 1 Crusher for Either HDD or SSD Media

June 13, 2018 at 4:04 pm by SEM

WESTBORO, MA — The SEM Model 0101, an NSA evaluated and listed destruction device for all computer hard drives regardless of their size, format or type, can now be factory configured for dual media destruction of either HDD or SSD media. The Model 0101 Hard Drive Crusher from Security Engineered Machinery has long been the choice of the Federal Government, US Military and Fortune 1000 companies for physical destruction of HDDs.

The SEM Model 0101 Crusher can now be purchased with a factory installed SSD Kit allowing the system to perform dual media destruction of either HDDs or SSDs. The SSD Kit consists of a specially designed hardened steel anvil with 292 piercing spikes, an SSD Wear Plate, and an SSD Press Plate. The large number of spikes on the anvil ensures each data bearing chip is damaged during the operating cycle. Solid State media that can be destroyed include memory sticks and circuit/controller boards found on hard drives, SSD drives, cell phones, tablets and similar devices up to 5.39” x 5.39” (137mm x 137mm).

The Model 0101 with integrated SSD Kit also includes a standard HDD anvil and can be easily exchanged in the field for the destruction of conventional hard drives and other rotational magnetic media.

Offices, hospitals, data centers, and other facilities can destroy confidential/sensitive information in a timely manner in accordance with government regulations and industry standards (HIPAA, FACTA, SOX, PCI DSS, etc.). The Model 0101 also satisfies National Security Agency requirements for physical destruction of rotational drives after they have been degaussed in an NSA-listed degausser.

The unit is compact, portable (22”H x 10”W x 19”D, 105 lbs.), quiet and virtually vibration free. It operates on standard 120V power, international voltages are also available. A safety interlock prevents the unit from functioning while the door is open and is the only crusher on the market that allows hard drives to be crushed with carriers still attached.

ISO 14001 Registered, Security Engineered Machinery, “SEM” is a global supplier of information security solutions and the largest producer of data-destruction equipment in the United States and operates a manufacturing and design facility adjacent to its headquarters in Westboro, Massachusetts. SEM’s full-service engineering department designs custom systems, such as high volume centralized security destruction systems with integrated waste briquetting and evacuation systems in use by the Federal Government and commercial entities. SEM’s areas of expertise include the design and production of destruction equipment for any type of data storage media from paper to hard drives to solid state, where data security and end of life measures are essential.

For more information, contact James T. Norris, Norris & Company, 264 Bodwell Street, Avon, MA 02322 Tel: (508) 510-5626, FAX: (508) 510-4180, E-mail: jim@norrisco.com

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Tag: hard drive crusher