GDPR-compliant hard drive erasure: software or destruction?
When certified erasure software is enough, when drives are physically destroyed – and which proof counts.
In short: Working hard drives and SSDs are erased in line with the GDPR using certified erasure software to BSI standards – with an erasure certificate for every drive. Drives that cannot be erased – defective, permanently installed or locked – are physically destroyed according to DIN 66399. Formatting a drive or deleting files is not enough.
Why formatting is not enough
Deleting files or formatting a drive usually removes only the references to the data. The data itself stays on the drive and can be recovered with freely available tools. For retired company devices that is a real risk: customer data, personnel files and login credentials leave the building.
The GDPR requires personal data to be protected by appropriate technical and organisational measures (Art. 5(1)(f) and Art. 32 GDPR) and to be erased once it is no longer needed (Art. 17 GDPR). Infringements can lead to fines of up to 20 million euros or 4% of worldwide annual turnover (Art. 83 GDPR). The German Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act (ElektroG) also makes clear that end users themselves are responsible for deleting personal data on old devices.
Option 1: erasure with certified software
With software-based erasure, certified erasure software overwrites the entire drive according to a defined method – in our case BSI-GS or BSI-GSK, the methods of the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI). SSDs cannot be erased reliably by simple overwriting, because they spread data internally across areas that overwriting does not reach; for them we use methods designed for flash memory.
For every erasure the software generates an erasure certificate stating the device, drive, serial number, method and time. The advantage: the drive stays intact, and the device can be reused or sold.
Option 2: physical destruction according to DIN 66399
If a drive cannot be erased by software – because it is defective, permanently installed or locked by a password – it is physically destroyed. The relevant standard is DIN 66399. It applies only to destruction, not to erasure.
- Protection classes 1 to 3 describe how sensitive the data is: normal, high, very high.
- Security levels 1 to 7 define how thoroughly a drive is destroyed – the higher the level, the more thorough the destruction and the smaller the permitted particles.
- Material classes distinguish the type of storage medium, for example H for hard drives with magnetic media and E for electronic media such as SSDs, USB sticks and memory cards.
We destroy drives up to security level H-5. Destroyed drives are listed separately in our disposal certificate.
Both options compared
| Aspect | Erasure with software | Physical destruction |
|---|---|---|
| Suitable for | working hard drives and SSDs | defective, permanently installed or locked drives |
| Standard | BSI-GS or BSI-GSK | DIN 66399, with us up to H-5 |
| Proof | erasure certificate for each drive | listed separately in the disposal certificate |
| Drive afterwards | still usable, buyback possible | destroyed, the material is recycled |
How we work
- You send us a short list or a few photos – helpful, but not required.
- We collect free of charge in Berlin and Brandenburg. At handover we count the devices and record them on a pickup receipt; you keep a copy.
- Every drive is erased with certified software or – if that is not possible – destroyed according to DIN 66399.
- You receive the erasure certificates and our disposal certificate.
More on our services: Secure data erasure · Hard drive destruction · What an erasure certificate must contain
Sources
The regulations cited, in their official wording:
- General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), EUR-Lex
- Art. 32 GDPR – Security of processing
- Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act (ElektroG), official German text
Frequently asked questions
Is it enough to format a hard drive?
No. Formatting usually removes only the references to the data; the data itself can be recovered. GDPR-compliant options are erasure with certified software or physical destruction.
Do defective hard drives have to be destroyed?
If they cannot be erased completely, yes. They are physically destroyed according to DIN 66399 and listed separately in the disposal certificate.
Can I sell erased devices?
Yes. After certified erasure the device remains usable. We buy Apple devices up to five years and Windows devices up to three years from the date of purchase.