In order to maintain the integrity of data, it is vital to destroy them so that they cannot be retrieved by hackers. When a degausser is not available, one can use a magnet or a strong magnetism from another device to achieve this goal.
Some people mistakenly believe that degaussing has a magnetic effect on the drive. This is not true as it erases data rather than removes its magnetic properties.
The purpose of degaussing is to erase all data on a magnetic disk, including the information stored in the magnetic coating. The degausser machine is used to achieve this by applying a strong magnetic field. This field destroys the magnetization of the disk, rendering it useless for storing any data or personal information.
A degausser is a machine that applies a magnetic field to a hard drive to erase all data residing on it.
A degausser typically uses strong magnetic fields of varying orientation to overwrite the information on the disk’s surfaces. A degausser is typically used by those who want to destroy the data on a hard drive, as for instance for security purposes, or when recycling computer equipment.
The most common types of degaussers are either manual (hand-held) or automated (standalone), with manual ones being more popular among consumers and automated ones more popular among businesses.
