Kroll Ontrack has unveiled its Eraser Degausser 3.0 that generates powerful magnetic fields to destroy all traces of data contained on defunct or end-of-life magnetic media such as hard drives or tapes.

Comprised of software, services and hardware, the Ontrack Eraser portfolio is a comprehensive set of solutions for data erasing and disposing needs. Businesses across the public and private sectors can use the electromagnet to permanently wipe 100 per cent of data from magnetic media in a matter of seconds. The device is able to generate a peak field of up to 18,000 gausses, destroying the data and removing the risk of sensitive information falling into the wrong hands.

Built to cope with large volumes of media and simple enough to be used in-house, the degausser ensures that data is destroyed before hardware leaves the premises for recycling. The whole process takes less than four seconds making it possible to process up to 250 media devices per hour.

“With a spate of increasingly well-publicised data disasters, organisations are under growing governmental and regulatory pressures to demonstrate that their company’s (and customers’) data is being correctly managed,” said Adrian Briscoe, General Manager – APAC, Kroll Ontrack.

“Simply deleting files from storage devices is not enough to ensure that sensitive information does not fall into the wrong hands. A degausser is one of the safest insurance policies a company can buy to reduce the risk of legal liability arising from confidentiality breaches.”

Weighing 73 Kg, measuring 455 x 702 x 268 mm, supplied in a hard-case with castor wheels, and requiring only a 240V standard mains socket for operation, the Ontrack Eraser Degausser is portable enough to be moved between an organisation’s distributed office locations. End-of-life devices need never leave company premises without data having been completely destroyed.

Stuart Hebron, Operations Director of Gold Coast-based Just Recycle IT, said, “We conduct around 100 degausser jobs per month with the service providing peace of mind for our customers in regard to their information security. Erasing of any magnetic media like tapes cannot be conducted effectively in a mass destruction environment.

"However, degaussing performs this process effectively, resulting in both the computer drive and the data rendered useless. Even data on the most high-density media can be completely eradicated. The portability of the Degausser 3.0 unit will now enable Just Recycle IT to perform on-site data erasure at our client’s offices speeding up the delivery of the service itself and providing an increase in the number of jobs which we can perform.”