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SSCP Practice Question: Which THREE of the following are appropriate…
Which THREE of the following are appropriate techniques for securely disposing of magnetic hard disk drives that contain sensitive data? (Choose three.)
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often confuse 'low-level format' or 'quick format' with secure erasure, not realizing these methods leave recoverable data on the platters.
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
✓
Shredding
Shredding (B) physically destroys the platters, making data recovery impossible regardless of the magnetic state. This is a definitive disposal method for sensitive data on magnetic hard disk drives.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Low-level format
Why it's wrong here
Low-level formatting may not completely erase data and is not considered secure.
- ✓
Shredding
Why this is correct
Physical destruction renders the drive unreadable.
- ✗
Quick format
Why it's wrong here
Quick format only removes file system pointers, data remains recoverable.
- ✓
Overwriting with random patterns
Why this is correct
Multiple passes overwrite data, though for HDDs it's effective.
- ✓
Degaussing
Why this is correct
Degaussing disrupts magnetic domains, making data unrecoverable.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This SSCP 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 SSCP exam.