DoD 5220.22-M Explained - Data Erasure Standards

DoD 5220.22-M  Data Erasure Standard

DoD 5220.22-M is one of the most recognizable and longest standing data erasure standards.

In this blog, you will find out everything you need to know about DoD 5220.22-M, including why you should use this particular wiping standard and how it can be implemented to erase hard drives or selected files.

What Is the DoD 5220.22-M Wiping Standard? 

DoD 5220.22-M is a widely used data erasure standard. In the media sanitization industry, a number of data erasure standards have been established over the last few decades to ensure wiping practices are secure and compliant with data protection regulations. These standards specify the overwrite patterns and paths that have been set by government agencies and organizations around the world.  
 
The DoD 5220.22-M standard involves overwriting the previously stored data on drives with binary patterns of zeroes and ones. The process requires 3 secure overwriting passes.  
 
The DoD 5220.22-M standard is most commonly known in this form:  

• Pass 1: Overwrite all addressable locations with binary zeroes 
• Pass 2: Overwrite all addressable locations with binary ones 
• Pass 3: Overwrite all addressable locations with a random bit pattern 
  The third overwrite pass is then verified by the wiping standard 

In 2001, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) published the DoD 5220.22-M ECE method, which is a 7-pass version of the original standard that is executed in the following way: 

• Pass 1: Overwrite all addressable locations with binary zeroes 
• Pass 2: Overwrite all addressable locations with binary ones 
• Pass 3: Overwrite all addressable locations with a random bit pattern 
• Pass 4: Overwrite all addressable locations with binary zeroes 
• Pass 5: Overwrite all addressable locations with binary zeroes 
• Pass 6: Overwrite all addressable locations with binary ones 
• Pass 7: Overwrite all addressable locations with a random bit pattern 

However, the older 3-pass method is the one most commonly used today and is often regarded as an industry-standard in the United States.  

When Was DoD 5220.22-M Introduced? 

DoD 5220.22-M is a data erasure standard that was published by the DoD in 1995 for institutions that require high levels of security, such as the Pentagon. At the time it was issued, the standard was regarded as a benchmark for secure data erasure.  

Why Should You Use the DoD 5220.22-M Standard? 

In case you’re feeling unsure, here’s 3 reasons why you should use the DoD standard:  

1. It’s an Industry Standard 
Despite the original version of the DoD 5220.22-M algorithm being almost 30 years old, it is still widely viewed as an industry standard for media sanitization. It may not be as comprehensive as some of the more advanced wiping schemes, but the DoD method has the advantage of taking considerably less time to finish running on your system than the likes of the Gutmann standard. 

2. Extra Verification 
Another benefit of the DoD 5220.22-M standard is the fact that it performs a verification at the end of every pass, which helps to ensure that data is overwritten correctly and securely. The DoD method also uses random characters to overwrite storage locations, which reduces the chance of data recovery.  

3. Compliance 
Most importantly, many government agencies and private organizations require the implementation of DoD 5220.22-M as part of their data erasure practice. 

How to Implement the DoD 5220.22-M Standard with BCWipe 

All trusted data erasure solutions should allow you to implement the DoD 5220.22-M standard. For example, Jetico offers 2 tools:  

• BCWipe Total WipeOut for securely wiping hard drives 
• BCWipe for wiping selected files and folders beyond forensic recovery 

Both solutions support the 3-pass DoD standard and the 7-pass DoD 5220.22-M ECE method.  
 
Other wiping schemes supported by BCWipe include the U.S. DoE M 205.1-2 standard and the NIST 800-88-1, 800-88-2 & 800-88-3 standards. To see a full list of supported wiping schemes, click here.  
 
Get started with the DoD 5220-22-M standard by requesting a free trial of BCWipe.  

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