What is the Difference between Data Erasure & Data Deletion? – Know Here
Data erasure and data deletion may sound similar since they are both considered to be methods of “removing data.”
In layman’s terms, “data deletion” can be thought of as clearing the Recycle Bin or Trash (on a Mac) or as using the Shift+Delete command to remove a file from a visible location on your machine or external drive to an unidentified location. Similar to how information is removed from paper, “data erasure” can also mean wiping (or erasing) data so that it vanishes from the storage media and ends up somewhere else.
In actuality, there are major differences between data deletion and erasure in every aspect—from their goals and workings to the outcomes.
By highlighting the key differences between data erasure and deletion, this article clarifies the differences between the two. More importantly, it explains why, in the age of data vulnerabilities and data protection laws, you should be concerned about being aware of this difference. Let’s start with understanding what happens when you DELETE data vis-à-vis when you ERASE it.
#1- Data Deletion
The operating system technically uses a “file system,” which is a table structure, to keep track of all the logical storage units or clusters on the hard disc and how these clusters store and recover data. You may be familiar with the Apple File System (APFS) volume in macOS or the File Allocation Table (FAT) & New Technology File System (NTFS) volumes in Windows. These are some of the several file systems that are used to store and retrieve data, for example, which file is stored from cluster 1 to cluster n, and so on. The file allocation table maintains the addresses, commonly referred to as pointers, of the data kept on the clusters (or Nodes in Mac devices).
When a file is removed, the operating system also removes the pointers to it and marks the cluster it belongs to in the Master File Table (MFT) or FAT as “available” for the storage of new files or data.
You might be surprised to learn that the “deletion” refers to the pointer, or address, to a file rather than the actual file or data, which makes the file invisible and inaccessible to normal human use. Be aware, though, that a removed file—even one that has been removed from the Recycle Bin or destroyed using the Shift + Delete command—remains on the storage media. With the use of a simple DIY data recovery program like Data Recovery Tool, it can be easily recovered.
#2- Data Erasure
On the other hand, data erasure includes overwriting the current data on a storage sector with binary patterns i.e. “1s” and “0s” or meaningless pseudo-random patterns with the purpose of destroying or sanitizing it.
In general, “data erasure,” sometimes known as “data destruction,” tries to destroy or sanitizethe data to make it completely unusable. In simple words, the data becomes unreadable after being deleted or overwritten by binary patterns.
The patterns and passes used (i.e., the number of times a pattern is written) for carrying out data erasure on storage media vary depending on the overwriting methods used, as well as how the results of each overwriting method on a drive are validated. For example, the DoD 5220.22-M method for data erasure involves three passes of 0s, 1s, and random characters with 100% verification.
A Quick Comparison of Data Erasure and Data Deletion
| Data Deletion | Data Erasure | |
| Technical Mechanism | The master file table (MFT) shows the space as available and the address of the data is removed. | Specific binary patterns are used to overwrite data, sanitizing storage media beyond the point of data recovery. |
| Implementation Process | Shift + Del on a Windows computer or Option + Command + Delete on a Mac to select “Manual.” To permanently delete the data, the Recycle Bin or Trash can be manually emptied. | A software program called CubexSoft Data Erasure Tool is typically used for data erasure since it implements the overwriting pattern according to the standard being used, like US DoD 5220.22, NIST 800-88, British – HMG, etc. The tool deletes data and issues a certificate of deletion. |
| Outcome | Making of available storage space for new uses. Data that has been removed is still accessible to any DIY program in the system. | The drive is used when all the data has been wiped and no traces of previous data have been left. |
| Data Recovery | Deleted information can be retrieved with the help of a Data Recovery Tool or manual or lab methods. | Erased data is no longer accessible on the system and cannot be recovered using software or in-lab techniques. |
A Public Awareness Note on Data Deletion
Although deleting files is a common task performed by all computer users as part of system usage, it is surprising to see that few users are aware of what occurs when files are deleted.
And in 2019, a lab investigation confirmed this. A total of 311 used devices, including hard drives, SD cards, and mobile phones, were examined for the study, which discovered that 25% of them—or 1 in 4—were discarded after being either formatted or deleted of all data. The users exposed their sensitive data to the risk of leakage by removing data using formatting and deletion as actions. They were unaware that sensitive data could be destroyed through a technique called data erasure.
Risks Associated with Deletion
As understood earlier, data deletion has nothing to do with removing data from the perspective of preserving users’ data privacy. Instead, it is the process of making fresh storage space. Therefore, not knowing this fact can increase the possibility of data leaks and misuse.
The study that was mentioned before in this article also revealed that a very wide range of private and business information was discovered on discarded devices. This data included personal images & videos, passport & visa information, driver’s license, national identity card, invoices, income tax records, banking data, etc.
If this data is made available to an unauthorized third party, it may result in serious consequences such as identity theft, financial fraud, threats to one’s personal safety, harm to one’s brand, IP theft, customer loss, and even legal action. When data is deleted, businesses run the risk of experiencing data breaches, breaking the law, and facing severe fines.
Utilize Secure Data Erasure to Remove Unwanted Data
Data erasure offers one of the most reliable and effective techniques to get rid of unnecessary data. As mentioned previously, the method is based on overwriting the addressable memory locations with binary patterns to terminate the information, making it impossible to recover using any data recovery software or method.
CubexSoft Data Eraser Tool is a perfect and master third-party solution that performs data erasure in accordance with 24 international standards, including US-DoD 5220.22-M, Peter Gutmann, NIST 800-88, and so on. The utility safely and permanently erases all of the storage media, including the remapped sectors and hidden areas of the storage media.
Data Eraser Software has a very simple GUI so that anyone can simply utilize it without any trouble. And, this utility offers a variety of data-wiping methods. It is the most effective and reliable solution for safeguarding your personal as well as sensitive data from risky exposure and data theft. Also, the tool may completely delete digital data while keeping complete data privacy with the help of the Data Wipe Tool. Moreover, it smoothly runs on all Windows Operating Systems including Win 11, 10, 8.1, 8, 7, and other below ranges.
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Free Demo Limitation: The free demo of this application will allow users to erase/delete only the first 10 data files with less than 5MB in size. If you want to completely delete or erase data from the system, you need to first buy the license key of this tool.
