Why Degauss?

Data breaches can cost millions of dollars, tarnish the good reputation of a business, leading to identity theft and even jeopardize national security. Several laws now require organizations to comply with strict regulations to ensure that no personal data is left on discarded hard drives and other electronic media. Simply deleting files, using software overwrites, or physically damaging hard drives is insufficient because it leaves data forensically recoverable. The only way to permanently erase your sensitive data is to degauss it. In a matter of seconds all data on electronic media can be completely sanitized. Proton's products provide compliance with electronic waste disposal regulations and also the peace of mind that your data won't end up in the wrong hands.

What are Degaussers?

Degaussers are used for the complete erase / erasure of data and other signals permanently from magnetic media. Degaussing is used for security purposes in the military, as well as in the private sector. For security purposes, sensitive data is totally removed and/or the media is rendered totally obliterated. It is also proven to be cost effective, in environments enabling the media to be recycled, rather than discarded.

What is Degaussing?

In the recording process, a remanent or residual magnetic flux with a unique relationship to the original program material is recorded on the medium. Media that is recorded to its saturation level is magnetized with its maximum remanent flux. The density of this remanent flux is measured in "gauss". Therefore, reducing the remanent flux back to zero is technically known as "degaussing" and often referred to as "erasing the media".

Degaussing is accomplished by applying a strong enough magnetic field to reduce the media's remanent flux back to zero. During degaussing the magnetic media is passed through a powerful alternating magnetic field to rearrange the pattern of the magnetic particles, completely removing any resemblance to the previously recorded signal.

The strength of this magnetic field is determined by the "coercivity" of the media's magnetic particles. Coercivity is measured in units known as "oersteds". The higher the oersted rating of the media, the more difficult it is to change the remanent flux back to zero.
Understanding degausser strength ratings for destruction of electronic data

Deciding on which degausser is best for your particular needs to properly destroy electronic data for federal compliance can be a daunting task even if you are familiar with the various terms that can be used to describe the strength of a degausser - gauss, oersted, tesla, kiloamps!

Before 1930, there was much confusion about the difference between the terms gauss and oersted. At its meeting in Stockholm in 1930, the Advisory Committee on Nomenclature of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) eliminated all ambiguity by adopting gauss (G) for the unit of magnetic flux density and oersted (Oe) for the unit of magnetic field intensity. Unfortunately, eighty years after the adoption of the IEC language, there is still much confusion! You may notice that the strength of a degausser is sometimes described in product and technical literature as magnetic fields (Oe) and sometimes as magnetic flux (G). In air, the magnitudes of magnetic field (Oe) and magnetic flux (G) are numerically equal, so the terms are sometimes used imprecisely, leading to the confusion that exists today.

The US National Security Agency (NSA) when evaluating a degausser requires a magnetic flux density (G) that is three times (3X) the magnetic field intensity (Oe). Thus, 10,000 G can only be relied upon and approved to erase 3,333 Oe media, not 10,000 Oe as is sometimes incorrectly stated on product literature. When purchasing a degausser, it is critical to get both the magnetic flux density (gauss) and the magnetic field intensity (oersted) measurements.

Technology has come a long way since 1930! As new Terabyte hard drives are introduced the power to destroy the data on these drives must also increase. Today's degaussers have moved from gauss to tesla (T) units for the magnetic flux field. Fortunately, the conversion factor is simple i.e. 1 T = 10,000 G or Oe. Metric measurements add to the confusion on product and technical literature and are sometimes expressed in kiloamperes per meter (kA/m) where 1 kA/m = 12.57 G or Oe. If you see degaussers that state only one measurement like magnetic field of 8,500 Oe or .85 T or 676.2 kA/m they probably mean magnetic flux density which converts to a real magnetic field intensity of 2,833 Oe (not 8,500 Oe). Keep it simple! Get both the flux field density and magnetic field intensity measurements when evaluating degaussers. We hope this attempt at an explanation helps remove some of the ambiguity surrounding degausser strength ratings.

Hard drive and magnetic media densities have increased tremendously over the last 10 years. Many hard drives now have multiple platters inside the steel casing and 7,000 peak Gauss will not be strong enough to reliably erase them. To ensure proper erasure you will need a degausser with a higher strength rating of your hard drives and tapes.
Proton has been the trusted name for data destruction products since 1987 and we intend to keep setting the industry standard.

Why Proton Products?

Proton are fully invested in providing the best data security solutions to our customers. Our constant R&D keeps us at the forefront of the industry and allows us to provide cutting edge technology and security solutions. All of Proton products meet or exceed US National Security Agency (NSA) and Department of Defense (DoD) requirements for sanitizing electronic media. Proton's products are manufactured in the USA in ISO 9001 certified facilities. Several of our products use patented technology which sets us apart from the competition and allows us to keep pace with advancing data storage technology. Our degaussers are built for longevity and will accommodate both current and projected hard drive coercivity and technology. Our degausser are most cost effective compare to the price of other bulky and chunky products.

Quridge in association with Knitlogix Inc USA ( Exclusive distributor for Proton Data Security LLC USA) have introduced Data Degausser in India. We have sales and services in all major cities - Bangalore (Bengaluru), Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Kochi (Cochin). We are looking for distributor in Andra Pradesh - Hyderabad, Bihar - Patna, Chhattisgarh - Raipur, Goa - Panaji, Gujarat - Gandhinagar, Haryana - Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh - Shimla, Jammu and Kashmir - Srinagar, Jharkhand - Ranchi Karnataka, Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram, Madya Pradesh - Bhopal, Maharashtra - Mumbai, Orissa - Bhubaneshwar, Punjab - Chandigarh, Rajasthan - Jaipur, Tamil Nadu - Chennai, Uttar Pradesh - Lucknow, West Bengal - Kolkata, Andaman and Nicobar - Port Blair, Pondicherry

Data Protection Bill, India  2023

1. The Bill provides for the processing of digital personal data in a manner that recognizes both the rights of the individuals to protect their personal data and the need to process such personal data for lawful purposes and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
   
        1. The Bill protects digital personal data (that is, the data by which a person may be identified) by providing for the following:
   
              1. The obligations of Data Fiduciaries (that is, persons, companies and  government entities who process data) for data processing (that is, collection, storage or any other operation on personal data);
              2. The rights and duties of Data Principals (that is, the person to whom the data relates);and
             3. Financial penalties for breach of rights, duties and obligations.
   
      2. The Bill is based on the following seven principles: 

1. 1. The principle of consented, lawful and transparent use of personal data;

1. 2. The principle of purpose limitation (use of personal data only for the purpose specified at the time of obtaining consent of the Data Principal);

1. 3. The principle of data minimisation (collection of only as much personal data as is necessary to serve the specified purpose);

1. 4. The principle of data accuracy (ensuring data is correct and updated);

1. 5. The principle of storage limitation (storing data only till it is needed for the specified purpose);

1. 6. The principle of reasonable security safeguards; and

1. 7. The principle of accountability (through adjudication of data breaches and breaches of the provisions of the Bill and imposition of penalties for the breaches). 

3. The Bill has few other innovative features:
   The Bill is concise and SARAL, that is, Simple, Accessible, Rational &Actionable Law as it—

1. 1. Uses plain language;

1. 2. Contains illustrations that make the meaning clear;

1. 3. contains no provisos (“Provided that…”); and

1. 4. Has minimal cross-referencing. 

4. By using the word “she” instead of “he”, for the first time it acknowledges women in Parliamentary law-making.

5. The Bill provides for following rights to the individuals: 

1. 1. The right to access information about personal data processed;

1. 2. The right to correction and erasure of data;

1. 3. The right to grievance redressal; and

1. 4. The right to nominate a person to exercise rights in case of death or incapacity.

 6. The Bill provides for following obligations on the data fiduciary:

1. 1. To have security safeguards to prevent personal data breach;

1. 2. To intimate personal data breaches to the affected Data Principal and the Data Protection Board;

1. 3. To erase personal data when it is no longer needed for the specified purpose;

1. 4. To erase personal data upon withdrawal of consent;

1. 5. To have in place grievance redressal system and an officer to respond to queries from Data Principals; and

1. 6. To fulfill certain additional obligations in respect of Data Fiduciaries notified as Significant Data Fiduciaries, such as appointing a data auditor and conducting periodic Data Protection Impact Assessment to ensure higher degree of data protection. 

7. The Bill safeguards the personal data of children also. 

1. 1. The Bill allows a Data Fiduciary to process the personal data of children only with parental consent.

1. 2. The Bill does not permit processing which is detrimental to well-being of children or involves their tracking, behavioural monitoring or targeted advertising. 

8. The exemptions provided in the Bill are as follows: 

1. 1. For notified agencies, in the interest of security, sovereignty, public order, etc.;

1. 2. For research, archiving or statistical purposes;

1. 3. For startups or other notified categories of Data Fiduciaries;

1. 4. To enforce legal rights and claims;

1. 5. To perform judicial or regulatory functions;

1. 6. To prevent, detect, investigate or prosecute offences;

1. 7. To process in India personal data of non-residents under foreign contract;

1. 8. For approved merger, demerger etc.; and
      
      
   9. To locate defaulters and their financial assets etc. 

9. The key functions of the Board are as under: 

1. 1. To give directions for remediating or mitigating data breaches;

1. 2. To inquire into data breaches and complaints and impose financial penalties;

1. 3. To refer complaints for Alternate Dispute Resolution and to accept Voluntary Undertakings from Data Fiduciaries; and

1. 4. To advise the Government to block the website, app etc. of a Data Fiduciary who is found to repeatedly breach the provisions of the Bill.

Data Breach Penalties: 

The schedule to the Bill specifies penalties for various offences such as up to: (i) Rs 200 crore for non-fulfilment of obligations for children, and (ii) Rs 250 crore for failure to take security measures to prevent data breaches.  Penalties will be imposed by the Board after conducting an inquiry.