CompTIA CySA+ Practice Test

What sanitization technique involves overwriting data to protect against nondestructive recovery?

1. Purge

2. Degauss

3. Destroy

4. Clear

The correct answer is: Clear

The technique that involves overwriting data to protect against nondestructive recovery is known as "Clear." This process ensures that data is no longer accessible and cannot be easily recovered by potential attackers or unauthorized users. When data is cleared, it is typically overwritten with new information, making it difficult, if not impossible, to retrieve the original data using standard recovery methods. In contrast, purging usually refers to a more thorough method of data removal, often involving physical destruction or methodical deletion that may not just overwrite but remove the data's presence altogether. Degaussing is a specific method used for magnetic media that disrupts the magnetic fields and essentially erases data but does not involve overwriting. The destroy option focuses on physically destroying the storage device, making data recovery infeasible. Each of these methods is used in varying contexts depending on the sensitivity of the data and the required level of security for data disposal, but "clear" specifically highlights the process of sanitizing data through overwriting to protect against recovery.