- A
Physically shredding the drive into small pieces
Correct. Physical destruction is a sanitization method.
- B
Degaussing the drive with a high-energy magnetic field
Correct. Degaussing is effective for magnetic media.
- C
Deleting all files and emptying the recycle bin
Why wrong: Deletion does not sanitize data; it remains recoverable.
- D
Overwriting the entire drive with multiple passes of random data
Correct. Overwriting is a valid sanitization method per NIST.
- E
Reformatting the drive and reinstalling the operating system
Why wrong: Reformatting does not securely erase data; it only removes file system pointers.
Question 196 of 1,000
CISSP Asset Security Practice Question
This CISSP practice question tests your understanding of asset security. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 security professional is tasked with sanitizing a set of hard drives that contain sensitive corporate data. The organization wants to ensure that data cannot be recovered, even by advanced forensic methods. According to NIST SP 800-88, which THREE methods are considered appropriate for sanitization? (Select THREE.)
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
✓
Physically shredding the drive into small pieces
NIST SP 800-88 defines clearing, purging, and destroying as sanitization methods. Overwriting is a form of clearing/purging, degaussing is purging for magnetic media, and physical destruction is destroying. Cryptographic erasure is effective for encrypted media but is not a separate category in the standard.
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.
- ✓
Physically shredding the drive into small pieces
Why this is correct
Correct. Physical destruction is a sanitization method.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Degaussing the drive with a high-energy magnetic field
Why this is correct
Correct. Degaussing is effective for magnetic media.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Deleting all files and emptying the recycle bin
Why it's wrong here
Deletion does not sanitize data; it remains recoverable.
- ✓
Overwriting the entire drive with multiple passes of random data
Why this is correct
Correct. Overwriting is a valid sanitization method per NIST.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Reformatting the drive and reinstalling the operating system
Why it's wrong here
Reformatting does not securely erase data; it only removes file system pointers.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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 SOC analyst notices unusual lateral movement in the network at 2 AM. The IR playbook dictates: identify and contain (isolate the affected machine), then eradicate (remove the malware), then recover (restore from backup), then document. Skipping containment before eradication risks the attacker regaining access. Questions like this test the sequence and rationale of incident response phases.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which CISSP exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CISSP question test?
Asset Security — This question tests Asset Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Physically shredding the drive into small pieces — NIST SP 800-88 defines clearing, purging, and destroying as sanitization methods. Overwriting is a form of clearing/purging, degaussing is purging for magnetic media, and physical destruction is destroying. Cryptographic erasure is effective for encrypted media but is not a separate category in the standard.
What should I do if I get this CISSP question wrong?
Identify which CISSP exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This CISSP practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISC2 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 CISSP exam.
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