NIST Ranks Firmware-based Secure Erase at the Highest Security Level For Data Sanitization Methods that Don't Require Physical Destruction. As the emphasis on data security grows, more and more companies are developing hard drive decommissioning protocols that emphasize both security and environmental responsibility.

Features:

Audit Trail:

Maintaining rigorous records for data 'cleaning' or 'purging' is essential. The HammerT is equipped with non-volatile RAM (NVRAM) on board, which tracks device activity. This data can then be transferred to a host PC through the USB 2.0 port. Audit trails can be printed or stored.

Regulatory Compliance:

The HammerT meets or exceeds data elimination requirements of:

• NIST 800-88 'Purge' and 'Clear'
• HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)
• Patriot Act of 2002
• Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA)
• Various state laws

Support for Non-Secure Erase Enabled Drives:

In the event an attached drive does not support the Secure Erase command, data will be completely overwritten by automatically calling the embedded version of CPR Tools' award winning BangDiskT utility. This ensures compliance with NIST 800-88 and 800-36 guidelines for data 'purging'.

Compare Hammer / Secure Erase with Software Overwrite Methods:

• With processing speeds up to 4Gb minute, the Hammer blows away software overwrite products, which may take hours or days.
• Software overwrites consume significantly more energy, with corresponding electric bills.
• The Hammer is a portable, hand-held device that can be deployed anywhere, while software overwriting requires a PC and software installation.
• The Hammer's gRase utility is able access and erase data on defective sectors in the hard drive G-List.
• The Hammer can access and erase data hidden in Host Protected Areas HPA and Device Configuration Overlay partitions.
• Not usable if the hard drive is damaged or is not writeable.
• Not all overwriting tools are able to erase data on the locked/hidden sectors thus compromising data security.
• Most overwriting tools do not provide detailed reporting of the erasure process therefore providing no audit trail.

Compare Hammer / Secure Erase with Degaussing:

• The Hammer is a green solution that allows the hard drive to be redeployed or recycled, while degaussing renders the drive permanently unusable.
• While the Hammer offers several means of verification and certification, degaussing can't provide verification of the destruction process as required for regulatory compliance.
• Degaussing machines are large, costly and may damage nearby equipment; the Hammer is hand-held, portable and reasonably priced.
• Degaussing usually involves a third-party vendor and may compromise care, custody and control protcol; the Hammer is a portable device that can generate a certification of destruction on-site.