Wipedwiped

Wipedwiped is a term used in discussions of data sanitization and digital hygiene. It refers to an approach to destroying digital data by repeatedly overwriting a storage device with multiple data patterns to prevent recovery, with the emphasis on thoroughness implied by the reduplication of “wipe.”

Origin and usage: The word is a neologism circulating mainly in online security communities and informal writing. It is not a formal standard, but rather a descriptive label for aggressive erasure practices. In some contexts it is used to describe more than a single overwrite, while in others it serves as hyperbole for thorough data destruction.

Definition and methods: In practice, wipedwiped connotes applying two or more overwriting passes using different patterns, such as zeros, ones, and random data. It is often contrasted with single-pass deletion or simple file erasure. The exact number of passes and patterns associated with wipedwiped can vary between discussions and individuals.

Effectiveness and limitations: On traditional magnetic drives, overwriting guidelines have historical roots in standards such as DoD schemes and related recommendations. Modern solid-state drives and wear-leveling can complicate guarantees from overwriting alone. For many applications, cryptographic approaches (encrypting data at rest and destroying the key) or cryptographic erasure are regarded as more reliable or practical, especially for SSDs. Wipedwiped remains a debated concept, with effectiveness contingent on hardware and implementation specifics.

See also: Data erasure, Secure delete, DoD 5220.22-M, NIST SP 800-88, Cryptographic erasure.