Data Grinder for Optical Media / The safest way to erase optical storage media: sanitizing beyond forensic recovery

Introducing the intimus® 005S – Data Grinder for Optical Media (CDs, DVDs and Blu-Ray)

The safest way to erase optical storage media: sanitizing beyond forensic recovery

Optical media (such as CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray discs) are one of the most popular and widely distributed forms of data storage in the world. During 2007, 26 billion optical media discs were sold worldwide, with an average annual sales increase of 10%.

While these discs offer great convenience, portability and low cost to users, they are also uniquely easy to steal, access and duplicate – creating information security vulnerabilities for the organizations that use optical media to store sensitive data. Optical media require careful data sanitization to remove sensitive information when the discs reach the end of their useful life.

“Even if everyone on Earth stopped using CDs and DVDs tomorrow, there would still be a significant amount of sensitive and confidential data stored on these discs,” said Markus Sattel, Director of Product Management at Martin Yale. “Scratching, shredding or even disintegrating a disc is not sufficient to erase the information stored there – to completely sanitize optical media, you need to grind the disc’s information layers beyond the point of forensic recovery. Fortunately, Martin Yale offers the intimus® 005S to meet this need.”

Key features of the intimus® 005s data grinder include:

Most thorough and effective form of optical media data erasure: Tests show that scratching, shredding or even physically disintegrating an optical media disc is not sufficient to completely erase the data – dimpling or scratching leaves 90% of data intact, cross-cut shredding leaves up to 65% of the data, and even a disintegrator can leave big enough particles to allow up to 40% of the disc’s data to be recovered.

Meets highest security requirements: The intimus® 005S meets the standards of the NIST (NIST SP guidelines 800-88) and is approved by the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) for the needs of the highest security organizations.

Patented DATAgrindTM technology: This data grinder uses a patented process to completely grind away the information layers to a grinding depth of 250 microns – beyond the point of forensic recovery by even the most determined data thieves. Nothing is left but dust, and the rest of the disc can be recycled as polycarbonate.

Fast, safe, clean operations. The data grinder operates with the push of a single button, and comes with a built-in evacuation system to quickly remove the residual dust from the grinding of information layers. DVDs are processed in a two-step operation (including a DVD splitter that comes with the machine), while CDs and Blu-ray discs can be processed in a single step.

“A single improperly disposed disc has the potential to reveal state secrets or damage a company’s reputation and prospects for years to come,” said Markus Sattel. “Organizations that require serious information assurance should consider adding the intimus® 005S to their arsenal in defending against data breaches.”

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