NIST 800-88 explained
The internationally recognised media-sanitisation standard, in plain English — Clear, Purge and Destroy, and when to use each.
NIST Special Publication 800-88 Revision 1 is the reference standard for securely sanitising storage media. If your certificates cite a standard, this is usually the one. Here’s what it actually says.
The three methods
- Clear: logical overwrite using standard read/write commands — protects against simple recovery, and the drive stays usable.
- Purge: stronger techniques (e.g. cryptographic erase, block erase) that make recovery infeasible even in a lab — still reusable.
- Destroy: physical destruction (shred, disintegrate) so the media can never be reused.
Choosing the right method
Match the method to the data sensitivity and the device’s future. A drive being resold should be Purged and verified; a failed drive that can’t be verified should be Destroyed with evidence.
Why it matters on the certificate
Citing NIST 800-88 and the specific method on the certificate tells your customer, their auditor and a regulator exactly how the data was handled — not just that “something” was done.
Frequently asked questions
What is NIST 800-88?
NIST Special Publication 800-88 Rev 1 is the recognised guideline for media sanitisation, defining Clear, Purge and Destroy methods.
What’s the difference between Clear and Purge?
Clear is a standard overwrite that keeps the drive usable; Purge uses stronger techniques that resist even laboratory recovery, and the drive is still reusable.
Does WipeTrail follow NIST 800-88?
Yes — certificates are aligned to NIST 800-88 and record the method used per device.
Ready when you are
See WipeTrail on your own kit.
Book a 20-minute demo and we’ll walk the whole flow — collection to certified wipe to resale — and show how fast you could be live before the DWTS deadline.
Book a demo →