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What is the Advanced Secure Deletion Algorithm developed by Protectstar™? What steps are involved in the Advanced Secure Deletion Algorithm (ASDA)?

What is the Advanced Secure Deletion Algorithm developed by Protectstar™? What steps are involved in the Advanced Secure Deletion Algorithm (ASDA)?
January 18, 2023

The Advanced Secure Deletion Algorithm developed by Protectstar™ Inc. in 2017 is a four-step process for securely deleting data. The algorithm was designed to replace the Secure Deletion Algorithm, which had been in use for more than ten years. The four steps of the Advanced Secure Deletion Algorithm are as follows:

  1. In the first pass, all data is overwritten with a specific pattern (represented by "0xff" in the text). This step is designed to make it more difficult for hackers or forensic analysts to recover the data by overwriting it with a known pattern.
  2. The second pass uses the 256-bit AES (Advanced Encryption Algorithm) to encrypt the data blocks completely. This step ensures that the data is protected with a strong and secure encryption method.
  3. The third pass performs a complete verification of the written data and performs secure deletion with a unique pattern (represented by "10010010, 01001001, 00100100 + Verification" in the text). Any incorrect read/verified sectors/blocks will be documented in the erasure report. This step ensures that all data has been properly erased and that there are no errors or issues in the process.
  4. Finally, the last pass overwrites all data with a random pattern (represented by "Random" in the text) using high-quality random numbers based on Federal information processing standards (FIPS). This step helps to obscure the data further and makes it even more challenging to recover.

Overall, the ASDA algorithm is designed to be a comprehensive and reliable method for securely deleting data, which results from using multiple methods (overwriting, encryption, verification, and using high-quality random numbers) to ensure that data is truly erased and can't be recovered. Additionally, the ASDA algorithm is continuously updated to stay ahead of the technology and meet the current standards.


Learn more about the Advanced Secure Deletion Algorithm: 
https://www.protectstar.com/en/secure-erase

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