NIST 800-88 Data
Certified. Documented. Compliant.
NIST SP 800-88 Rev. 1 compliant media sanitization for Houston businesses. Every device wiped or destroyed. Every batch documented. Certificate of Destruction provided.
What is NIST 800-88?
NIST Special Publication 800-88 Revision 1 is the federal standard for media sanitization published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. It defines three levels of data destruction (Clear, Purge, Destroy) and provides guidelines for selecting the appropriate method based on the sensitivity of the data and the type of storage media.
NIST 800-88 is the baseline standard referenced by HIPAA, PCI-DSS, FERPA, SOX, FACTA, GLBA, and most federal/state data protection regulations. If your organization handles sensitive data, NIST 800-88 compliance is not optional.
EverTrade follows NIST SP 800-88 Rev. 1 for all data-bearing devices. Every hard drive, SSD, phone, and storage device that enters our facility undergoes documented sanitization. We provide a Certificate of Destruction with serial numbers, destruction method, and date for every batch.
The Three Sanitization Levels
Clear
StandardLogical overwriting of all addressable storage locations. Uses software-based tools to write patterns across the entire media. Sufficient for most business equipment being reused internally.
Best for: Drives being reused within the organization
Purge
EnhancedPhysical or logical techniques that render data recovery infeasible using state-of-the-art laboratory techniques. Includes cryptographic erase, block erase, and degaussing for magnetic media.
Best for: Drives leaving organizational control (recycling, resale, donation)
Destroy
MaximumPhysical destruction rendering the media unusable. Includes shredding, disintegration, pulverizing, and incineration. The most secure option when media will not be reused.
Best for: Top-secret, classified, or highly sensitive data (HIPAA, PCI-DSS, legal)
Sanitization by Media Type
Hard Disk Drives (HDD)
Clear, Purge (degauss), or Destroy (shred)
Magnetic media. Degaussing renders data unrecoverable and the drive unusable.
Solid State Drives (SSD)
Clear (ATA Secure Erase), Purge (crypto erase), or Destroy
Wear leveling makes overwriting unreliable. Crypto erase or physical destruction recommended.
Mobile Devices
Clear (factory reset with encryption), Purge (crypto erase)
Enable encryption first, then factory reset. This is functionally a crypto erase.
Magnetic Tape
Clear (overwrite), Purge (degauss), or Destroy
Degaussing is the most reliable method for tape media.
USB / Flash Media
Clear (overwrite) or Destroy (shred)
Flash media has hidden areas. Physical destruction is most reliable.
Optical Media (CD/DVD)
Destroy only (shred or incinerate)
Cannot be overwritten. Must be physically destroyed.
Who Needs NIST 800-88?
Healthcare
HIPAAPatient records, medical imaging, PHI
Financial Services
PCI-DSS / GLBACard data, account numbers, transactions
Education
FERPAStudent records, grades, personal info
Legal Firms
Attorney-ClientCase files, privileged communications
Government
NIST / FISMAClassified, CUI, PII
Any Business
SOX / State LawsEmployee data, IP, financial records
Our Process
Intake & Inventory
Every device is logged with make, model, and serial number. Chain of custody begins at pickup.
Data Classification
We determine the appropriate sanitization level (Clear, Purge, or Destroy) based on media type and your requirements.
Sanitization
Data is destroyed using NIST 800-88 compliant methods. Software wiping for reusable drives, physical destruction for high-security needs.
Verification
Sanitized media is verified to confirm successful destruction. Failed media is escalated to physical destruction.
Certificate of Destruction
You receive a signed certificate documenting every device, serial number, destruction method, date, and responsible technician.
NIST 800-88 FAQ
Protect Your Data. Get Certified.
NIST 800-88 compliant destruction with Certificate of Destruction. Free pickup for Houston businesses.