[Abstract]
The purpose of this document is to provide a summary of the article entitled “Disposition Of Sensitive Automated Information” as the author understands this article. Also included within this document is an explanation of how disk encryption can help to protect the information on that disk in the event it was lost or stolen.
[Content]
The article entitled “Disposition Of Sensitive Automated Information” identifies methods that should be used by businesses, government, and even the military for ensuring their information is safely removed from different types of media. There are three different techniques that are identified in different publications that the article talked about ensuring there is no information or remnants of information remaining on a disk. The three methods are overwriting, degaussing, destruction. Overwriting would consist of using an NSA approved software application, such as BCWipe (Jetico, 2008), to write 1‚Äôs and 0‚Äôs over a disk seven times to ensure that the information on the disk could not be retrieved. The overwriting method should be used on operations media in an instance where the media may need to be reused again. The degaussing method should be used by an NSA approved degasser and this method will magnetically or electronically destroy a piece of media so that no information can be retrieved. This method should be used on a piece of media that may contain information, but the media itself is non-operational. The final method of destruction provides specifications of how media should be properly disposed of. The article “Disposition Of Sensitive Automated Information” identifies methods that should be used to properly ensure data is unrecoverable from media.
There are instances where data on a form of electronic media needs to be protected in the event that it falls into an unauthorized individuals possession. Disk encryption can help to ensure information is being protected from unauthorized access, however encryption is not the solution, but rather a technique for helping to protect data (TecSec, 2006). By simply encrypting the information on a disk cannot protect that information forever. Time is any type of encryptions’ number one enemy, as it takes time before an encryption algorithm can be cracked. Once the algorithm is cracked then access to the protected information can be gained. One of the best uses of using the disk encryption method for protecting data is when travelling, either domestically or internationally. Another good instance of proper use of this technique is in the event you have to relinquish physical control of a piece of media or when you may not be physically present to ensure that media is secure. The use of encryption to secure physical media will help protect the information on that media in the event the media should fall into the wrong hands.
References
1. Jetico – Products. Retrieved January 25, 2009, from Jetico – Products Web site: [URL Removed Broken link]
2. TecSec, (2006, January). Tactical Military Encryption in a Multinational Environment. Retrieved January 25, 2009, from Tactical Military Encryption in a Multinational Environment Web site: [URL Removed Broken link]