Are you worried about the data security of information stored on laptops? Finding the right solution for sanitizing data ensures compliance, rendering data unrecoverable after recycling or reuse.
Ingram Micro Lifecycle is a global provider of ITAD and depot services, securely and compliantly sanitizing laptops and data-bearing devices. These services keep laptops safe and compliant after recovery or before recycling.
Below, we explain what an SDD is and how typical data-wiping practices applied to HDDs aren’t secure.
What is an SSD?
A solid-state drive (SSD) is used singularly in a device, such as a laptop, or combined with hard disk drives (HDDs) to meet data storage requirements.
Differences between SSDs and HDDs
While these are both data storage solutions, several differences define their use.
SSDs use non-volatile flash memory, whereas HDDs use magnetic discs to store data. SSDs are a newer approach to data storage solutions, evolving from HDDs to be physically smaller, quicker, and more efficient.
There’s more noise associated with HDDs because these contain a moving actuator arm that gathers the user-requested data from magnetically coated metal platters where the data resides. This movement means power is required to access the data, whereas SSDs are non-mechanical, interconnected flash memory chips that retain data without power.
Use cases
HDDs are best used for desktop PCs to provide multiple storage options, ideal for users with heavy data needs (for example, those that download lots and gamers). They can also serve as external storage drives for backing up large volumes of data.
SSDs are ideal for portability and lighter use needs, where the ease and speed of data accessibility is a priority over storage size, for example, in laptops.
The sale of laptops experienced a significant burst due to the pandemic, which has somewhat leveled off in the following years but is expected to grow again. 255.5 million desktop PCs and laptops shipped in 2024, an increase of 3.8% from the previous year. As Windows 10 support ends in 2025, users will push to refresh their devices and upgrade.
This equates to an increasing number of SSDs in use and heading towards the end of their current lifecycle.
Data sanitization risks of SSDs
The way SSDs function, with flash memory chips, makes them more inherently difficult to sanitize compared to the spinning platters of HDDs. As the way we store data has evolved, the sanitization processes also need to evolve.
Assuming that a process that sanitizes HDDs will also sanitize SSDs will leave you at risk of data breaches. Processes will need to evolve again when the next type of modern storage comes along.
Types of data sanitization processes
The processes used to typically sanitize HDDs aren’t always suitable and compliant for SSDs.
- Degaussing: This rearranges magnetic fields of electronics and is not effective on SSDs as flash-based data storage. When processing storage devices for wiping, SSDs and HDDs must be accurately separated to ensure SSDs are wiped in an alternative way.
- Cryptographic erasure or crypto erase: This deletes and replaces encryption security keys from a storage drive. It obscures but does not remove data. Any data that is unencrypted before wiping remains accessible.
- Physical destruction: Data chips on high-density SSDs are smaller than common shred sizes. This means that when a drive is shredded or crushed, SSDs won’t be fully destroyed, leaving data recoverable.
- File wiping or shredding: this aims to overwrite the data on a drive but doesn’t extend to the overprovisioning or hidden areas of an SSD. This is the extra storage capacity provided to spread out general wear from reading and writing data. Therefore, the data in these areas can be untouched and accessible after wiping. Repeated overwriting can also cause damage to the storage device and degrades usability.
- Disk defragmentation: this functionality is often pre-installed on desktop PCs but it aims to rearrange data, not delete it, making it unintelligible. It’s not effective for SSDs and again causes degradation with repetition.
The solution: secure data erasure
This overwrites all data on an SSD, including the overprovisioned areas, and provides auditable evidence of success. A specific manufacturer tool or BIOS setting activates an in-built Secure Erase function. This resets all the data-storing cells to their factory settings. Specialized software is then required to corroborate that the erasure has been effective.
This route provides proof that the wipe has been successful, key to protecting your company from data leaks.
Ingram Micro Lifecycle provides comprehensive depot services and ITAD solutions, securely decommissioning devices, and routing them for secondary uses or responsible recycling.
Get in touch with us today to learn more about our data-wiping processes.
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