Degaussing: This process uses a powerful magnetic field to erase data on magnetic media like tapes and hard drives. It disrupts the magnetic alignment that represents the stored data. However, it's ineffective against solid-state drives (SSDs) because they store data electronically in flash memory, not magnetically.
Pulverization: This involves physically destroying the storage device, such as shredding, crushing, or incinerating it. This method is effective for all types of storage media, including magnetic tapes, hard drives, and SSDs, as it physically destroys the data storage components.
A) Degaussing effectively neutralizes magnetic fields on all media types, but leaves solid-state storage susceptible to data recovery. This is partially true about SSDs, but degaussing is not effective on all media types; it's primarily for magnetic media.
B) Degaussing and pulverization are functionally equivalent, making regulatory compliance effortless across all storage devices. This is incorrect. They are very different methods with different applications and effectiveness.
D) Pulverization is less reliable than degaussing for magnetic tapes, yet more suitable for SSDs under advanced compliance frameworks. This is incorrect. Pulverization is highly reliable for all media types, including magnetic tapes, and is generally considered more secure than degaussing, especially for SSDs.
Therefore, pulverization is the more universally effective method for ensuring data destruction across different storage media types, especially when irreversible destruction is required.