Topic

Degaussing magnetic media

Applicable to

all

History

Mar 2022

Following the use of a degausser, magnetic media is physically damaged by deforming any internal platters.

Miscellaneous changes were made to rationale and recommendations throughout the publication to clarify content without changing intent. This included a review from the Guidelines for System Hardening chapter through to the Guidelines for Data Transfers chapter.

Dec 2021

Following destruction of magnetic media using a degausser, it is physically damaged (such as by deforming the internal platters of hard drives) prior to its disposal.

Miscellaneous changes were made to rationale and security controls throughout the publication. This included:

• A review from the Using the Information Security Manual chapter through to the Guidelines for Media chapter.

• Security controls suitable for all audiences have been identified with the ‘All’ applicability marking while additional security controls suitable for just government audiences have been identified with the O, P, S and TS applicability markings.

• Security controls suitable for specific classifications have been amended to include their classification(s) in the wording of the security controls to reduce the reliance on applicability markings to confer suitability.

• Tables in security controls have been converted into prose to allow for inclusion in the SSP annex template and the XML list of security controls.

• The use of ‘official’ and ‘highly classified’ terminology has been replaced with specific classifications to remove ambiguity.

• Security controls relating to high assurance ICT equipment have had their applicability narrowed to ‘S, TS’ reflecting that they are intended for the protection of SECRET and TOP SECRET systems and data.

Mar 2021

Following destruction of magnetic media using a degausser, the magnetic media is physically damaged by deforming the internal platters by any means prior to disposal.

Security control 1641 was introducedto cover physically deforming internal platters of magnetic media (by any means) following degaussing.