Degaussointi

Degaussointi is a Finnish term that refers to the process of demagnetizing an object. This is typically done to remove residual magnetism from electronic devices, particularly magnetic storage media like hard drives and magnetic tapes. The purpose of degaussing is to render the data stored on these media unreadable, ensuring data security and privacy.

The degaussing process involves exposing the magnetic medium to a strong, alternating magnetic field. This field is gradually reduced in strength, causing the magnetic domains within the medium to become randomized and lose their original orientation. As the magnetic field strength drops to zero, the domains remain in a random state, effectively erasing the stored data.

Degaussing is commonly used when decommissioning old computer equipment or disposing of sensitive information. It is considered a more thorough method of data destruction than simple deletion, as it physically alters the magnetic properties of the storage medium, making data recovery extremely difficult or impossible. Specialized degaussing equipment is available for various types of magnetic media, from individual drives to large quantities of tapes. While degaussing is effective for magnetic media, it is not applicable to solid-state drives (SSDs) or other non-magnetic storage technologies, which require different data destruction methods.