ISO 27001 Certified
NSA-Listed Degaussers
Blancco Technology Partner
Degaussing Services Sydney: NSA-Listed Equipment, 20,000+ Gauss
Blancco Certified
Zero Landfill Policy
NIST 800-88 Compliant
Zero Landfill
ISO/IEC 27001:2022
Information Security Management
ISO 45001:2018
Occupational Health and Safety Management
ISO 9001:2015
Quality Management Systems
ISO 14001:2015
Environmental Management
Why Degaussing is Essential for Magnetic Media Destruction
Degaussing services Sydney represents the gold standard for magnetic media sanitization, utilizing powerful electromagnetic fields to permanently erase data at the physical level. For organizations in Sydney and across New South Wales handling sensitive, classified, or regulated data, degaussing provides assurance that information cannot be recovered through any known forensic technique. This makes it the preferred method for government agencies, defense contractors, financial institutions, healthcare providers, and any organization subject to strict data protection requirements.
- Complete data erasure across all areas of magnetic media including hidden sectors, bad blocks, firmware zones, and HPA/DCO regions that software-based wiping cannot access
- Compliance with NIST Special Publication 800-88 Purge-level sanitization requirements and Australian Government Information Security Manual (ISM) controls for media destruction
- Suitable for highest classification levels including SECRET and TOP SECRET media when combined with physical destruction, meeting defense and intelligence agency requirements
- Faster processing than software wiping methods, with typical degaussing cycles completing in seconds versus hours for multi-pass software overwrites
- Independence from media condition or functionality – degaussing works on drives with failed firmware, damaged controllers, or corrupted file systems that would prevent software wiping
- Verifiable destruction with NSA-listed equipment and Blancco certificates providing audit-ready documentation of the degaussing process and magnetic field strength applied
ITC’s degaussing services utilize only NSA Evaluated Products List approved equipment, ensuring our degaussers meet the most stringent security requirements established by the United States National Security Agency. Our facility serves clients across metropolitan Sydney, regional NSW, and interstate locations requiring certified degaussing with full chain of custody documentation and NIST 800-88 compliant certificates of destruction.
Degaussing vs Other Methods
Feature
Software Wiping
Degaussing (ITC)
Erases hidden areas (HPA/DCO)
Cannot access hidden areas
Erases all areas completely
Erases bad sectors
Cannot access bad sectors
Erases all sectors
Speed (per drive)
Hours per drive
Seconds per drive
NIST 800-88 Purge compliant
Yes, with verification
Yes, with Blancco verification
Works on failed drives
Requires functional drive
Works on any condition
Works on SSDs
Yes
No – magnetic media only
Preserves hardware for reuse
Yes
No – renders media unusable
Blancco certified verification
Yes
Yes
Media Compatibility for Degaussing
Degaussing only works on magnetic storage media. Flash-based storage (SSDs, USB drives, memory cards) cannot be degaussed and require alternative destruction methods.
Hard Disk Drives (HDDs)
- All sizes and interfaces
- SATA, SAS, IDE
- Desktop and laptop
- Enterprise drives
LTO Tapes
- LTO-1 through LTO-9
- All generations supported
- High-coercivity capable
- NSA-listed degaussing
DLT/SDLT & Enterprise Tapes
- DLT all generations
- DAT/DDS all formats
- 3480, 3490, 3590, 3592
- T10K enterprise tapes
Legacy Magnetic Media
- 3.5″ floppy disks
- 5.25″ floppy disks
- Zip drives
- Other magnetic media
Cannot Be Degaussed
Solid State Drives (SSDs), USB flash drives, SD/MicroSD cards, and NVMe drives use electronic storage and cannot be degaussed. These require Blancco secure erase or physical shredding. Contact us for the right destruction method for your media.
Our Blancco-Verified Degaussing Process
Our ISO 27001 certified degaussing process uses Blancco verification technology to ensure complete chain of custody and compliance with NIST 800-88 and Australian ISM requirements.
1 - Secure Collection
Security-vetted personnel collect your media in GPS-tracked vehicles with tamper-evident seals.
2 - Inventory & Logging
Every drive and tape is scanned and logged by serial number for complete chain of custody.
3 - Blancco Pre-Verification
Blancco software verifies data presence and identifies encryption before degaussing.
4 - NSA-Listed Degaussing
Media processed through NSA-listed degausser for NIST 800-88 Purge level erasure.
5 - Physical Shredding
Degaussed media is physically shredded for visual confirmation and complete destruction.
6 - Blancco Certificate
Serialized Blancco Certificate of Destruction with all media, methods, and compliance details.
7 - Responsible Recycling
Shredded materials recycled through ISO 14001 certified program with zero landfill.
Compliance Standards We Meet
Our Blancco-verified degaussing services are fully compliant with NIST 800-88 (Purge level sanitization, protects against laboratory-level data recovery), Australian ISM (ISM-0361 suitable field strength, ISM-0362 manufacturer directions, ISM-1641 NSA-evaluated degaussers for classified media), and Blancco Certification (Common Criteria EAL3+ certified, tamper-proof certificates accepted by APRA and Australian Privacy Commissioner).
What is Degaussing?
Magnetic Field Erasure
Degaussing exposes storage media to a powerful magnetic field that neutralizes the magnetic alignment of data particles, permanently erasing all information.
Instant & Complete
Unlike software wiping which takes hours, degaussing erases all data in seconds—including hidden areas, bad sectors, and firmware regions that software cannot reach.
Forensically Unrecoverable
NIST 800-88 states that degaussed data is unrecoverable even with laboratory attack methods like magnetic force microscopy. This is the highest level of data sanitization.
Renders Media Unusable
Degaussing also erases the servo tracks that allow drives to function, making them permanently unusable. This is why degaussing is typically followed by physical shredding.
Why We Use NSA-Listed Degaussers
ITC exclusively uses degaussers from the NSA Evaluated Products List. These are the only degaussers approved for destruction of classified government data, ensuring the highest level of security for your sensitive information.
NSA Evaluated Products List
Our degaussers are listed on the NSA EPL, approved for destruction of classified media up to TOP SECRET level.
20,000+ Gauss Field Strength
Our degaussers generate magnetic fields exceeding 20,000 Gauss, far exceeding the requirements for modern high-coercivity media.
Perpendicular Recording Compatible
Modern HDDs use perpendicular recording with coercivity ratings of 5000+ Oe. Our NSA-listed degaussers handle these with ease.
Audit-Ready Documentation
Every degaussing operation is logged with date, time, operator, degausser model, and media serial numbers for complete audit trails.
NSA-Approved Equipment
“Degaussers on the EPL have been evaluated and are approved for sanitization of magnetic media containing classified information up to and including TOP SECRET.” — NSA
- Garner & Proton degausser models
- Government & Defence approved
- Exceeds 20,000 Gauss field strength
- Suitable for all coercivity levels
Understanding Coercivity:
2022+ HDDs (PMR): 5000+ Oe — NSA-Listed Required
2005-2022 HDDs (PMR): 4000-5000 Oe — NSA-Listed Required
LTO-6 to LTO-9 Tapes: 3000 Oe — NSA-Listed Required
LTO-1 to LTO-3 Tapes: 2150 Oe — High-Strength
DLT, DAT, Enterprise: 520-2650 Oe — Varies by format
Get Paid for Your E-Waste
Many items classified as “e-waste” still have significant residual value. Our IT Asset Buyback program provides competitive rebates for qualifying commercial IT equipment—turning your disposal cost into revenue.
Competitive Rebates
We assess every asset for resale value and offer fair market prices for qualifying equipment. Blancco data destruction is included as standard.
Free Business Collection
Drop-off Facility
Service Areas
We assess every asset for resale value and offer fair market prices for qualifying equipment. Blancco data destruction is included as standard.
Sydney CBD
Parramatta
North Sydney
Macquarie Park
Chatswood
Liverpool
Blacktown
Penrith
Bankstown
Hurstville
Bondi
Manly
Hornsby
Sutherland
Campbelltown
All Greater Sydney
Contact Us
- 1300 048 226
- [email protected]
- Mon-Fri: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Frequently Asked Questions
What media can be degaussed?
Degaussing works on all magnetic storage media including hard disk drives (HDDs), magnetic tapes (LTO, DLT, DAT, etc.), floppy disks, and legacy magnetic media. SSDs and flash storage cannot be degaussed as they use electronic, not magnetic, data storage. For SSDs, we use Blancco Drive Eraser instead.
Does degaussing destroy the hard drive?
Degaussing permanently erases all data and renders the drive unusable. The servo tracks that allow the drive to function are also erased, so the drive cannot be reformatted or reused. For this reason, degaussing is typically followed by physical shredding for visual confirmation.
What is coercivity and why does it matter?
Coercivity is the measure of a magnetic medium’s resistance to being demagnetized, measured in Oersteds (Oe). Modern HDDs have coercivity ratings of 5000+ Oe due to perpendicular recording technology. The degausser’s field strength must significantly exceed the media’s coercivity for complete erasure.
Can SSDs be degaussed?
No. SSDs (Solid State Drives) use NAND flash memory which stores data electronically, not magnetically. Degaussing has zero effect on SSDs. SSDs require Blancco Drive Eraser with ATA Secure Erase, cryptographic erasure, or physical destruction. ITC uses Blancco for all SSD sanitization.
What NSA-listed degaussers do you use?
We use degaussers from the NSA Evaluated Products List including models from Garner, Proton, and other approved manufacturers. These degaussers generate magnetic fields exceeding 20,000 Gauss, sufficient to erase the highest coercivity media including modern perpendicular recording HDDs.
Is degaussing better than Blancco software wiping?
Degaussing is faster and more thorough than software wiping. It erases all data including hidden areas, bad sectors, and HPA/DCO regions that software cannot access. However, degaussing destroys the drive, while Blancco software wiping preserves it for reuse and resale. Choose based on whether you need to recover asset value.
Do you provide a Blancco certificate of destruction?
Yes. We provide a detailed Blancco Certificate of Destruction that includes the date, degausser model used, serial numbers of all media processed, and confirmation of compliance with NIST 800-88 Purge and Australian ISM requirements. Blancco certificates are tamper-proof and audit-ready.
Where can I find a degaussing service near me in Sydney?
ITC Asset Management provides degaussing services across all of Sydney and NSW from our secure facility in North Rocks. We also offer on-site degaussing where our technicians bring NSA-listed degaussers to your premises. Whether you need hard disk degaussing, tape degaussing, or a combination service, call 1300 048 226 for degaussing near you.
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