DOD Vs NIST – Which is the Best Data Destruction Standard?
Summary: The write-up will describe on why data destruction standards specified by the US Department of Defense (DoD) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) are famous and important. We will explain their pros and cons, why all worldwide prefer one over the other, and summarize which is the best data wiping standard.
Every organization must keep data secure in this era of increasing data breaches, and it is their legal responsibility to make sure that private customer data is permanently destroyed when it is no longer needed or when an IT asset reaches the end of its useful life. Customers’ rights to control their sensitive information are being strengthened by new data protection laws around the world, and companies must implement strict data protection and data destruction policies to prevent leakage or unauthorised access.
What is the Data Erasure DoD Standard?
We have already identified the DoD Erasure algorithm in our series of articles as DoD 5220.22 M, a standard that was first released in the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM) by the US Department of Defense (DoD) in 1995. The erasure technique calls for three overwriting passes on the hard drive, with verification coming after the third pass. Sanitizing data from other media devices, such as cassettes, is also covered in DoD 5220.22-M. For more information on US DoD 5220.22 M and the passes that make up the erasure standard, please read our comprehensive piece.
Critical changes to the DoD document were made in 2001, 2004, and 2006. The DoD 5220.22-M ECE technique, also known as the DoD 7 Pass method, was upgraded to the standard in 2001. Two DOD 3 Passes and an additional standard pass with binary zeros are used in the new standard. The DoD operating manual, with minor updates in 2004 and later in 2006, did not specify any suggested overwriting technique and left the choice of data sanitization to regulatory bodies like the CSA. (Cognizant Security Agencies). It’s interesting to note that the most recent NISPOM regulation, which was released in 2021, is still silent on any particular erasure standard for data sanitization.
Limitation of the DoD Standard (DoD 5220.22 –M/ECE)
DoD 5220.22-M sanitization, which has been the industry’s most common overwrite pattern for more than a decade, began to have functional problems on flash media storage (SSD), which has been preferred over hard drives. Chip-based storing was not a concern when this standard was developed. The development of modern hard drives since 1995, the rise of mobile devices, and cutting-edge storage technologies like flash storage media (SSDs) have sparked doubts about the effectiveness of the DoD method’s numerous overwriting cycles. Modern hard drives are extremely accurate and use advanced writing technologies that remove the chance of data being recovered after one overwriting pass, making the requirement to overwrite data 3 to 7 times, as recorded by the NISP Operating Manual, obsolete. Furthermore, the DoD Erasure standard is less efficient than more recent erasure standards like NIST 800-88, which have surfaced as a viable alternative to DoD 3 & 7 Pass.
Reason DoD Failure on SSD Drives
For SSD drives based on flash storage, DoD 5220.22-M is neither effective nor advised because SSDs rely on embedded CPU & flash memory chips rather than magnetic strips. Flash storage devices have a limited number of cycles during which data can be written to and deleted from a specific area. Overwriting an SSD for 3 or 7 cycles (as per DoD Standard) might shorten the SSD’s overall lifespan. This is the reason behind the fact that the majority of governmental agencies, such as the Department of Defense, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the Department of Energy, the Canadian standard association, and others, no longer refer to DoD 5220.22-M as a secure erase method for media sanitization.
Technology Advances Drive Attention on NIST 800-88
The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s NIST 800-88 data erasure standard, which was created in 2006, has become the most popular and frequently applied data sanitization standard in use today. NIST 800-88 is now preferred by government organizations, regulatory organizations, and certifying bodies for media sanitization over DoD 5220.22 M for the following reasons:
- Unlike DoD 5220.22 M, the NIST 800-88 standard is applicable to a wide range of storage devices, including mobile devices, hard drives, SSDs, etc. This standard is more recent and current.
- With the improvement of technology, one overwrite pass is sufficient and preferred (in the case of SSDs). This decreases the amount of time, money, and resources needed to sanitise data.
- In contrast to US DoD standards, NIST guidelines for media sanitization are thorough and include extensive guidance based on media type for wiping, degaussing, and physical destruction.
- Media sanitization approaches according to NIST 800-88 data erasure methods are also advised by international payment cards standards like PCI DSS and ISO 27040.
A Brief Comparison of NIST vs. DoD Data Erasure Standards
The table below compares the DoD and NIST standards for data erasure in order to show the key distinctions between them.
| Parameters | DoD Standard | NIST Standard |
| First Appearance | 1995 | 2006 |
| Latest Update | February 2006 | December 2004 |
| Data Erasure Methods | 3 to 7 Passes for Overwriting | Clear, Purge, and Destroy |
| Efficiency | Less Effective and inefficient for SSDs | Effective for vast storage types |
| Verifiable Erasure | Yes (Only Hard Drives) | Yes (verification and certification both) |
| Cost Involved | Higher as 3 to 7 passes are required | Lower as 1 write pass is enough |
Which Data Erasure Standard is the Most Suitable For You?
According to what we have seen so far, the DoD 3 & 7 Pass approach is not recommended as a data destruction method in the most recent version of the NISPOM (DoD 5220.22-M) guideline. Organizations are switching from using the DoD 5220.22-M for data wiping to NIST 800-88 as a result of the development of hard drive technology and the widespread use of flash-based storage like SSDs. DoD’s information security policy and other rules for hard drive wiping, however, mean that it is still relevant for some businesses. The worry of data recovery after one overwriting cycle has been allayed by the 2014 revisions to the NIST rules. One write pass is adequate for sanitising irretrievable data, according to NIST. Global government organisations like NCSC (National Cyber Security Centre), BSI (German Federal Office for Information Security), NIST, and others support one write pass as the safe method for overwriting. This method, when combined with the verification of the overwrite, ensures that all addressable storage locations have been overwritten.
CubexSoft Data Wipe – NIST & DoD Compliant Solution
CubexSoft Data Eraser solutions for drive and mobile let you meet your requirements for data erasure using 24 global erasing standards, regardless of whether you wish to use DoD, NIST, or any other data erasure standards. We guarantee that no data is left on HDDs, SSDs, or mobile devices after using our data wiping solutions. Global organisations like NIST, DHS, ADISA, NYCE, etc. test and certify our software. For businesses and governments, the application creates certificates and reports of wiping that serve as audit trails and help in compliance with international data protection rules and regulations.
