How can I securely format a solid-state drive?





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When selling / throwing away / giving away HDDs I always use DBAN to do a DoD wipe first.



Is this still a valid thing to do on an SSD?



Will it have an adverse effect on the SSD's lifespan?










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  • Also see Reliably Erasing Data From Flash-Based Solid State Drives by Wei, Grupp, Spada, and Swanson.

    – jww
    Oct 6 '18 at 10:31


















17















When selling / throwing away / giving away HDDs I always use DBAN to do a DoD wipe first.



Is this still a valid thing to do on an SSD?



Will it have an adverse effect on the SSD's lifespan?










share|improve this question

























  • Also see Reliably Erasing Data From Flash-Based Solid State Drives by Wei, Grupp, Spada, and Swanson.

    – jww
    Oct 6 '18 at 10:31














17












17








17


3






When selling / throwing away / giving away HDDs I always use DBAN to do a DoD wipe first.



Is this still a valid thing to do on an SSD?



Will it have an adverse effect on the SSD's lifespan?










share|improve this question
















When selling / throwing away / giving away HDDs I always use DBAN to do a DoD wipe first.



Is this still a valid thing to do on an SSD?



Will it have an adverse effect on the SSD's lifespan?







ssd format secure-erase dban






share|improve this question















share|improve this question













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edited Jun 20 '13 at 17:47









Breakthrough

31.7k993141




31.7k993141










asked Jan 27 '10 at 23:14









ShevekShevek

14.3k54075




14.3k54075













  • Also see Reliably Erasing Data From Flash-Based Solid State Drives by Wei, Grupp, Spada, and Swanson.

    – jww
    Oct 6 '18 at 10:31



















  • Also see Reliably Erasing Data From Flash-Based Solid State Drives by Wei, Grupp, Spada, and Swanson.

    – jww
    Oct 6 '18 at 10:31

















Also see Reliably Erasing Data From Flash-Based Solid State Drives by Wei, Grupp, Spada, and Swanson.

– jww
Oct 6 '18 at 10:31





Also see Reliably Erasing Data From Flash-Based Solid State Drives by Wei, Grupp, Spada, and Swanson.

– jww
Oct 6 '18 at 10:31










3 Answers
3






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oldest

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13














A DoD wipe with DBAN would be unnecessary ...



SSD Security: Erase Solid State Drives Data



While it is still not common sense to securely erase data on hard drives (read: Securely Erase Files) before computers
or hard drives are sold or given away the matter becomes even more complicated where SSD – Solid State Drives – are concerned. The positive aspect of Solid State Drives is that data cannot be recovered if it is overwritten on the drive which means that only one pass would be needed to erase the data on the SSD. The bad news however is that not the operating system but the controller is specifying where the data is written on the SSD.



This in effect means that all methods of overwriting free space are not sufficient for erasing the data securely on those drives. This also means as well that it is not possible to erase specific files securely on the SSD. Users who want to delete data securely on SSDs have therefor the following options at hand:




  • Encryption

  • Format

  • Filling the Drive


Encryption is surely the best method of ensuring that the data on a SSD is secure as it cannot be accessed without decryption. Formatting the drive on the other hand is only reasonable if no data on that drive is needed anymore. It would otherwise require extensive backup and restoration procedures. Filling the drive with data might work as well as it would overwrite anything on the drive as well.



Source






share|improve this answer

































    4














    After the fact, but things have changed a lot in the last 10 months or so - a lot of SSD manufacturers are including (or will be soon) a secure erase function in their optional software utilities that will do the single wipe pass for you properly from a controller level. (I know Intel already has this and it works great.)






    share|improve this answer



















    • 1





      This. Most SSD utilities now include this function built in. It is a standard built into the ATA specification called ATA Secure Erase, and the drive utilities trigger this process on the drive.

      – music2myear
      Feb 25 '16 at 18:26



















    1














    I agree with Molly minus the encryption. Encryption is a good way to protect data, but it doesn't erase it.



    If you want to erase the whole SSD, DBAN on a single pass would work. I would set it to pseudorandom so if anyone looked it would look like it could be encrypted.



    If you want to only wipe a file, using a conventional wipe program (one for a hard drive) would only make it save from undelete tools. I don't know of any data carving tools that are SSD/flash wear leveling aware, but I'm sure if they aren't out there, they will be. The most effective way to wipe a file from a SSD/flash is to fill all the free space.



    All that said, I don't know if all the spare cells in the flash would be overwritten. (Most flash have spare cell just like hard drive have spare sectors.)



    Also, strictly speaking, overwriting (no matter the passes done) is no longer authorized by the DoD to sanitization hard drives. Also, many software say DoD wipe but do the 3-pass and not the 7-pass. In addition, I hear from many people talking about hard drive magnetics and the best wipe is a multipass random pattern. They say having a known pattern would make reconstruction easier.






    share|improve this answer
























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      3 Answers
      3






      active

      oldest

      votes








      3 Answers
      3






      active

      oldest

      votes









      active

      oldest

      votes






      active

      oldest

      votes









      13














      A DoD wipe with DBAN would be unnecessary ...



      SSD Security: Erase Solid State Drives Data



      While it is still not common sense to securely erase data on hard drives (read: Securely Erase Files) before computers
      or hard drives are sold or given away the matter becomes even more complicated where SSD – Solid State Drives – are concerned. The positive aspect of Solid State Drives is that data cannot be recovered if it is overwritten on the drive which means that only one pass would be needed to erase the data on the SSD. The bad news however is that not the operating system but the controller is specifying where the data is written on the SSD.



      This in effect means that all methods of overwriting free space are not sufficient for erasing the data securely on those drives. This also means as well that it is not possible to erase specific files securely on the SSD. Users who want to delete data securely on SSDs have therefor the following options at hand:




      • Encryption

      • Format

      • Filling the Drive


      Encryption is surely the best method of ensuring that the data on a SSD is secure as it cannot be accessed without decryption. Formatting the drive on the other hand is only reasonable if no data on that drive is needed anymore. It would otherwise require extensive backup and restoration procedures. Filling the drive with data might work as well as it would overwrite anything on the drive as well.



      Source






      share|improve this answer






























        13














        A DoD wipe with DBAN would be unnecessary ...



        SSD Security: Erase Solid State Drives Data



        While it is still not common sense to securely erase data on hard drives (read: Securely Erase Files) before computers
        or hard drives are sold or given away the matter becomes even more complicated where SSD – Solid State Drives – are concerned. The positive aspect of Solid State Drives is that data cannot be recovered if it is overwritten on the drive which means that only one pass would be needed to erase the data on the SSD. The bad news however is that not the operating system but the controller is specifying where the data is written on the SSD.



        This in effect means that all methods of overwriting free space are not sufficient for erasing the data securely on those drives. This also means as well that it is not possible to erase specific files securely on the SSD. Users who want to delete data securely on SSDs have therefor the following options at hand:




        • Encryption

        • Format

        • Filling the Drive


        Encryption is surely the best method of ensuring that the data on a SSD is secure as it cannot be accessed without decryption. Formatting the drive on the other hand is only reasonable if no data on that drive is needed anymore. It would otherwise require extensive backup and restoration procedures. Filling the drive with data might work as well as it would overwrite anything on the drive as well.



        Source






        share|improve this answer




























          13












          13








          13







          A DoD wipe with DBAN would be unnecessary ...



          SSD Security: Erase Solid State Drives Data



          While it is still not common sense to securely erase data on hard drives (read: Securely Erase Files) before computers
          or hard drives are sold or given away the matter becomes even more complicated where SSD – Solid State Drives – are concerned. The positive aspect of Solid State Drives is that data cannot be recovered if it is overwritten on the drive which means that only one pass would be needed to erase the data on the SSD. The bad news however is that not the operating system but the controller is specifying where the data is written on the SSD.



          This in effect means that all methods of overwriting free space are not sufficient for erasing the data securely on those drives. This also means as well that it is not possible to erase specific files securely on the SSD. Users who want to delete data securely on SSDs have therefor the following options at hand:




          • Encryption

          • Format

          • Filling the Drive


          Encryption is surely the best method of ensuring that the data on a SSD is secure as it cannot be accessed without decryption. Formatting the drive on the other hand is only reasonable if no data on that drive is needed anymore. It would otherwise require extensive backup and restoration procedures. Filling the drive with data might work as well as it would overwrite anything on the drive as well.



          Source






          share|improve this answer















          A DoD wipe with DBAN would be unnecessary ...



          SSD Security: Erase Solid State Drives Data



          While it is still not common sense to securely erase data on hard drives (read: Securely Erase Files) before computers
          or hard drives are sold or given away the matter becomes even more complicated where SSD – Solid State Drives – are concerned. The positive aspect of Solid State Drives is that data cannot be recovered if it is overwritten on the drive which means that only one pass would be needed to erase the data on the SSD. The bad news however is that not the operating system but the controller is specifying where the data is written on the SSD.



          This in effect means that all methods of overwriting free space are not sufficient for erasing the data securely on those drives. This also means as well that it is not possible to erase specific files securely on the SSD. Users who want to delete data securely on SSDs have therefor the following options at hand:




          • Encryption

          • Format

          • Filling the Drive


          Encryption is surely the best method of ensuring that the data on a SSD is secure as it cannot be accessed without decryption. Formatting the drive on the other hand is only reasonable if no data on that drive is needed anymore. It would otherwise require extensive backup and restoration procedures. Filling the drive with data might work as well as it would overwrite anything on the drive as well.



          Source







          share|improve this answer














          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer








          edited Mar 8 at 3:37









          JakeGould

          32.8k10100142




          32.8k10100142










          answered Jan 27 '10 at 23:18







          Molly7244
































              4














              After the fact, but things have changed a lot in the last 10 months or so - a lot of SSD manufacturers are including (or will be soon) a secure erase function in their optional software utilities that will do the single wipe pass for you properly from a controller level. (I know Intel already has this and it works great.)






              share|improve this answer



















              • 1





                This. Most SSD utilities now include this function built in. It is a standard built into the ATA specification called ATA Secure Erase, and the drive utilities trigger this process on the drive.

                – music2myear
                Feb 25 '16 at 18:26
















              4














              After the fact, but things have changed a lot in the last 10 months or so - a lot of SSD manufacturers are including (or will be soon) a secure erase function in their optional software utilities that will do the single wipe pass for you properly from a controller level. (I know Intel already has this and it works great.)






              share|improve this answer



















              • 1





                This. Most SSD utilities now include this function built in. It is a standard built into the ATA specification called ATA Secure Erase, and the drive utilities trigger this process on the drive.

                – music2myear
                Feb 25 '16 at 18:26














              4












              4








              4







              After the fact, but things have changed a lot in the last 10 months or so - a lot of SSD manufacturers are including (or will be soon) a secure erase function in their optional software utilities that will do the single wipe pass for you properly from a controller level. (I know Intel already has this and it works great.)






              share|improve this answer













              After the fact, but things have changed a lot in the last 10 months or so - a lot of SSD manufacturers are including (or will be soon) a secure erase function in their optional software utilities that will do the single wipe pass for you properly from a controller level. (I know Intel already has this and it works great.)







              share|improve this answer












              share|improve this answer



              share|improve this answer










              answered Oct 21 '10 at 19:38









              ShinraiShinrai

              17.6k34272




              17.6k34272








              • 1





                This. Most SSD utilities now include this function built in. It is a standard built into the ATA specification called ATA Secure Erase, and the drive utilities trigger this process on the drive.

                – music2myear
                Feb 25 '16 at 18:26














              • 1





                This. Most SSD utilities now include this function built in. It is a standard built into the ATA specification called ATA Secure Erase, and the drive utilities trigger this process on the drive.

                – music2myear
                Feb 25 '16 at 18:26








              1




              1





              This. Most SSD utilities now include this function built in. It is a standard built into the ATA specification called ATA Secure Erase, and the drive utilities trigger this process on the drive.

              – music2myear
              Feb 25 '16 at 18:26





              This. Most SSD utilities now include this function built in. It is a standard built into the ATA specification called ATA Secure Erase, and the drive utilities trigger this process on the drive.

              – music2myear
              Feb 25 '16 at 18:26











              1














              I agree with Molly minus the encryption. Encryption is a good way to protect data, but it doesn't erase it.



              If you want to erase the whole SSD, DBAN on a single pass would work. I would set it to pseudorandom so if anyone looked it would look like it could be encrypted.



              If you want to only wipe a file, using a conventional wipe program (one for a hard drive) would only make it save from undelete tools. I don't know of any data carving tools that are SSD/flash wear leveling aware, but I'm sure if they aren't out there, they will be. The most effective way to wipe a file from a SSD/flash is to fill all the free space.



              All that said, I don't know if all the spare cells in the flash would be overwritten. (Most flash have spare cell just like hard drive have spare sectors.)



              Also, strictly speaking, overwriting (no matter the passes done) is no longer authorized by the DoD to sanitization hard drives. Also, many software say DoD wipe but do the 3-pass and not the 7-pass. In addition, I hear from many people talking about hard drive magnetics and the best wipe is a multipass random pattern. They say having a known pattern would make reconstruction easier.






              share|improve this answer




























                1














                I agree with Molly minus the encryption. Encryption is a good way to protect data, but it doesn't erase it.



                If you want to erase the whole SSD, DBAN on a single pass would work. I would set it to pseudorandom so if anyone looked it would look like it could be encrypted.



                If you want to only wipe a file, using a conventional wipe program (one for a hard drive) would only make it save from undelete tools. I don't know of any data carving tools that are SSD/flash wear leveling aware, but I'm sure if they aren't out there, they will be. The most effective way to wipe a file from a SSD/flash is to fill all the free space.



                All that said, I don't know if all the spare cells in the flash would be overwritten. (Most flash have spare cell just like hard drive have spare sectors.)



                Also, strictly speaking, overwriting (no matter the passes done) is no longer authorized by the DoD to sanitization hard drives. Also, many software say DoD wipe but do the 3-pass and not the 7-pass. In addition, I hear from many people talking about hard drive magnetics and the best wipe is a multipass random pattern. They say having a known pattern would make reconstruction easier.






                share|improve this answer


























                  1












                  1








                  1







                  I agree with Molly minus the encryption. Encryption is a good way to protect data, but it doesn't erase it.



                  If you want to erase the whole SSD, DBAN on a single pass would work. I would set it to pseudorandom so if anyone looked it would look like it could be encrypted.



                  If you want to only wipe a file, using a conventional wipe program (one for a hard drive) would only make it save from undelete tools. I don't know of any data carving tools that are SSD/flash wear leveling aware, but I'm sure if they aren't out there, they will be. The most effective way to wipe a file from a SSD/flash is to fill all the free space.



                  All that said, I don't know if all the spare cells in the flash would be overwritten. (Most flash have spare cell just like hard drive have spare sectors.)



                  Also, strictly speaking, overwriting (no matter the passes done) is no longer authorized by the DoD to sanitization hard drives. Also, many software say DoD wipe but do the 3-pass and not the 7-pass. In addition, I hear from many people talking about hard drive magnetics and the best wipe is a multipass random pattern. They say having a known pattern would make reconstruction easier.






                  share|improve this answer













                  I agree with Molly minus the encryption. Encryption is a good way to protect data, but it doesn't erase it.



                  If you want to erase the whole SSD, DBAN on a single pass would work. I would set it to pseudorandom so if anyone looked it would look like it could be encrypted.



                  If you want to only wipe a file, using a conventional wipe program (one for a hard drive) would only make it save from undelete tools. I don't know of any data carving tools that are SSD/flash wear leveling aware, but I'm sure if they aren't out there, they will be. The most effective way to wipe a file from a SSD/flash is to fill all the free space.



                  All that said, I don't know if all the spare cells in the flash would be overwritten. (Most flash have spare cell just like hard drive have spare sectors.)



                  Also, strictly speaking, overwriting (no matter the passes done) is no longer authorized by the DoD to sanitization hard drives. Also, many software say DoD wipe but do the 3-pass and not the 7-pass. In addition, I hear from many people talking about hard drive magnetics and the best wipe is a multipass random pattern. They say having a known pattern would make reconstruction easier.







                  share|improve this answer












                  share|improve this answer



                  share|improve this answer










                  answered Jan 28 '10 at 4:20









                  Scott McClenningScott McClenning

                  3,4611418




                  3,4611418






























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