What a factory reset does – and what it doesn’t
A reset restores the operating system. Whether data is actually removed irretrievably depends on the device, the storage type and the method – and is hardly provable afterwards.
The duty to provide proof
GDPR accountability requires evidence of appropriate technical and organisational measures. Device-level erasure records help demonstrate secure handling of personal data when equipment is retired. Confirm the evidence your organisation needs with its data protection team.
What certified erasure delivers
Blancco uses a method appropriate to each storage medium, verifies the result and provides a digitally signed, tamper-resistant certificate for each device or medium.
What happens to faulty drives?
If a drive cannot be securely erased, it must be physically destroyed and properly disposed of – also documented.
Smartphones and tablets (iOS, Android)
Blancco Mobile Diagnostics & Erasure uses NIST SP 800-88 Clear or Purge. Modern encrypted devices are erased cryptographically by destroying the encryption key, followed by verification – not conventional sector overwriting.
HDDs
Blancco Drive Eraser overwrites HDDs, including hidden areas (HPA/DCO), and verifies the result in accordance with NIST Clear.
SSDs and NVMe
Depending on drive support, Blancco Drive Eraser uses firmware-based Sanitize, Secure Erase or Crypto Erase commands for NIST Purge or Clear. Overwriting alone is insufficient because of wear levelling.
Non-erasable or faulty storage media
Media that cannot be securely erased are physically destroyed and properly disposed of with evidence.
Conclusion
A reset is not proof. Anyone passing on company devices should have them erased with certified software and archive the certificates.
Checklist to tick off.
- Identify storage technology and data sensitivity
- Resolve release permissions and account locks before handover
- Agree the appropriate erasure method and verification
- Request a certificate identifying the serial number, method and result
- Handle media that cannot be erased separately
