NIST 800-88 Data
Secure. Documented. Validated.
NIST SP 800-88 Rev. 2-aligned media sanitization for Houston businesses, with method selection, verification, validation, and documented disposition.
What is NIST 800-88?
NIST Special Publication 800-88 Revision 2 is the current federal guidance for building a media sanitization program. It defines Clear, Purge, and Destroy and requires organizations to select a method based on data sensitivity, media technology, control, condition, and intended disposition.
NIST 800-88 is guidance, not a certification. It can support an organization's data-protection controls, but the applicable law, contract, customer policy, and certification scope must be evaluated separately.
EverTrade's documented program is aligned with NIST SP 800-88 Rev. 2. New certificates record the media profile, Clear, Purge, or Destroy method, exact technique, tool or equipment, processing location, verification result, validation decision, and disposition.
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
MaximumAn approved physical technique that makes state-of-the-art laboratory recovery infeasible and leaves the media unusable. Damage alone is not enough.
Best for: Media that will not be reused or cannot be reliably sanitized
Sanitization by Media Type
Hard Disk Drives (HDD)
Clear, Purge, or Destroy under an approved work instruction
A single overwrite may support Clear. Degaussing is a Purge technique for applicable magnetic media, not Destroy.
Solid State Drives (SSD)
Purge using an approved sanitize command, block erase, or qualified cryptographic erase
Wear leveling and overprovisioning make ordinary host overwriting unreliable.
Mobile Devices
Clear or Purge using an approved manufacturer or cryptographic technique
Cryptographic erase requires documented prerequisites and validated key zeroization.
USB / Flash Media
Approved Clear, Purge, or Destroy technique based on risk and disposition
Hidden and remapped areas must be considered before accepting the result.
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 SP 800-88-aligned methods. Software wiping for reusable drives, physical destruction for high-security needs.
Verification and Validation
We verify execution, then validate the media-method match, evidence, exceptions, disposition, and residual risk before acceptance.
Certificate and Disposition Record
The certificate records the device or batch, method, technique, tool or equipment, processing location, verification, validation, and final disposition.
NIST 800-88 FAQ
Protect Your Data. Stay Compliant.
NIST SP 800-88-aligned destruction with Certificate of Destruction. On-site pickup for Houston businesses.