- A
Use a degausser on each disc.
Why wrong: Degaussers are designed for magnetic media; optical discs use pits and lands, not magnetic fields, so data remains intact.
- B
Scratch the surface of each disc with a key.
Why wrong: Scratching may render the disc unreadable but data can still be extracted from undamaged areas; not a secure method.
- C
Use a cross-cut shredder that accepts optical discs.
Cross-cut shredding reduces discs to small pieces, ensuring data is physically destroyed and unrecoverable.
- D
Place the discs in a microwave for 10 seconds.
Why wrong: Microwaving discs can damage the microwave and create hazardous fumes; it is not a recommended or reliable destruction method.
Question 629 of 750
How to Destroy Data on Optical Discs
This 220-1202 practice question tests your understanding of data destruction and disposal. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A technician is disposing of a stack of CDs and DVDs that contain backup data from a medical office. The media are labeled with patient information. Which method should the technician use to destroy the data?
Quick Answer
The answer is to use a cross-cut shredder that accepts optical discs. This method physically destroys the polycarbonate substrate and reflective layer of CDs and DVDs, ensuring that the patient data stored on them is completely unrecoverable, which is critical for HIPAA compliance in a medical office. On the CompTIA A+ Core 2 220-1202 exam, this question tests your understanding of proper data destruction methods for different media types; a common trap is choosing degaussing, which only works on magnetic media like hard drives, not on optical discs. Remember that formatting or deleting files is impossible on read-only media, so physical destruction is the only viable option. A helpful memory tip: for optical discs, think “cut the disc, cut the risk”—only a cross-cut shredder makes the data truly gone.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use a cross-cut shredder that accepts optical discs.
Option C is correct because a cross-cut shredder that accepts optical discs physically destroys the media into small pieces, making data recovery impossible. This method is compliant with HIPAA requirements for destroying protected health information (PHI) on CDs and DVDs, as it renders the data irrecoverable through physical destruction.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Use a degausser on each disc.
Why it's wrong here
Degaussers are designed for magnetic media; optical discs use pits and lands, not magnetic fields, so data remains intact.
- ✗
Scratch the surface of each disc with a key.
Why it's wrong here
Scratching may render the disc unreadable but data can still be extracted from undamaged areas; not a secure method.
- ✓
Use a cross-cut shredder that accepts optical discs.
Why this is correct
Cross-cut shredding reduces discs to small pieces, ensuring data is physically destroyed and unrecoverable.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Place the discs in a microwave for 10 seconds.
Why it's wrong here
Microwaving discs can damage the microwave and create hazardous fumes; it is not a recommended or reliable destruction method.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
CompTIA often tests the misconception that degaussing works on all storage media, but the trap here is that optical discs are non-magnetic, so candidates who confuse magnetic media destruction with optical media destruction will incorrectly choose Option A.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Optical discs store data as a spiral track of pits and lands read by a laser; physical destruction via cross-cut shredding ensures the disc is fragmented into pieces smaller than the laser spot size (typically <1 mm), preventing any contiguous data track from being reconstructed. In real-world scenarios, medical offices must comply with HIPAA's Security Rule (45 CFR § 164.310(d)(2)(i)) which mandates that PHI on media be cleared, purged, or destroyed—shredding is a NIST SP 800-88 approved method for optical media.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the 220-1202 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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Data Destruction and Disposal — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 220-1202 question test?
Data Destruction and Disposal — This question tests Data Destruction and Disposal — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use a cross-cut shredder that accepts optical discs. — Option C is correct because a cross-cut shredder that accepts optical discs physically destroys the media into small pieces, making data recovery impossible. This method is compliant with HIPAA requirements for destroying protected health information (PHI) on CDs and DVDs, as it renders the data irrecoverable through physical destruction.
What should I do if I get this 220-1202 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on 220-1202
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A technician is tasked with disposing of a large batch of optical discs (CD-Rs and DVD-Rs) that contain archived customer records. The company policy requires data to be unrecoverable. Which disposal method is most appropriate?
medium- A.Use a degausser to demagnetize the discs.
- B.Overwrite the discs with a disk-wiping tool.
- ✓ C.Shred the discs using an industrial cross-cut shredder.
- D.Perform a quick format on the discs.
Why C: Option C is correct because industrial cross-cut shredding physically destroys the optical discs (CD-Rs and DVD-Rs), rendering the data unrecoverable. Unlike magnetic media, optical discs store data as physical pits in a dye layer, so degaussing or overwriting is ineffective. Shredding ensures compliance with data destruction policies requiring unrecoverable data.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This 220-1202 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 220-1202 exam.
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