Abstract
In digital forensics field, data wiping is considered one of the anti-forensics’ technique. On the other perspective, data wiping or data sanitization is the technique used to ensure that the deleted data are unable to be accessed by any unauthorized person. This paper introduces a process for data sanitization from computer hard disk drive. The process was proposed and tested using commercial data sanitization tools. Multiple testing has been conducted at accredited digital forensic laboratory of CyberSecurity Malaysia. The data sanitization process was performed using overwritten method provided by state-of-the-art data sanitization tools. For each sanitization tool, there are options for the wiping technique (overwritten) process. The options are either to wipe using single pass write or multi pass write. Logical data checking in the hard disk sector was performed during pre and post data disposal process for a proper verification. This is to ensure that the entire sector has been replaced by data sanitization bit pattern in correspondence to the selected wiping technique. In conclusion, through the verification of data sanitization it will improve the process of ICT asset disposal.
Highlights
Data security is nation major concern to curb data breach recklessly [1]
The pre-questionnaire was to observe the method of data disposal from hard disk drive of the selected agencies, while the post questionnaire was to observe the relationship of the process of data disposal of hard disk drive between the implementer who conducted the data sanitization process and the supervisor who monitored the data sanitization process at two selected agencies
Section A to Section E questionnaire shows agencies implementing data disposal/ protection activities of hard disks drive by formatting it and/ or removing hard disk drives from ICT assets before it is disposed by the agency asset disposition procedure
Summary
Several approach to handle security breach such as the introduction of steganography and cryptography [2] were tested These techniques help to improve quality of the data and security [2] during data acquisition for forensic analysis. The delete and format method are commonly used by users to dispose their data [6] from hard disk drive. Both methods of data disposal are provided by the computer operating system [6], [7]. Previous researchers [7], [8], [9], [10] suggested the data disposal by using data sanitization methods instead of the delete and format method before the hard disk drive been discarded or sold. This paper introduces the data sanitization process including verification process to dispose the data from the hard disk drive
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