If electronic media cannot be destroyed, what should be done to prevent unauthorized access to its data?

Overwriting electronic media at least three times is an effective method for preventing unauthorized access to the data. This process ensures that the original data is rendered unrecoverable by repeatedly writing new data over it, thus obscuring the original information. The practice of overwriting is based on the understanding that simply deleting files or formatting the drives does not remove the underlying data; it merely makes it invisible to the operating system. By overwriting three times, the chances of recovering any remnant of the original data are significantly diminished, making it much more secure against unauthorized retrieval.

While options like archiving without access or digital encryption also provide layers of security, they serve different purposes. Archiving without access may protect the data from immediate view, but it does not eliminate the potential risk of access if the media is compromised. Digital encryption adds another layer by making the data unreadable to unauthorized users, but it still requires secure management of access keys and can be subject to other vulnerabilities. In contrast, overwriting focuses directly on eliminating the data from the media itself, making it the most direct and effective option for preventing unauthorized access when destruction is not possible.