FOI 26-123 Software Erasure Assurances
Freedom of Information Request
- Reference
- FOI 26-123 Software Erasure Assurances
- Request Date
- 04 Mar 2026
- Response Date
- 26 Mar 2026
- Information Requested
Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, please provide the following recorded information held by your organisation regarding assurance processes for software based data erasure of end of life IT equipment.
For clarity, this request relates specifically to the erasure of storage media associated with end of life hardware such as laptops, desktops, servers, storage arrays, or other data bearing IT equipment. It does not relate to operational deletion of data within live systems, routine account management, or DSP Toolkit self assessment processes.
Physical destruction methods such as shredding, crushing, degaussing, or disintegration are outside the scope of this request. This request concerns software based erasure only.
This request seeks to distinguish between confirmation that an erasure process was carried out and recorded evidence demonstrating that the final data state of a specific storage device is irrecoverable. I am not seeking technical configuration detail or security sensitive information, only the recorded assurance basis relied upon when concluding that personal data has been rendered irrecoverable.
Please confirm:
1) Whether your organisation’s policies, contractual terms, or internal procedures require an explicit outcome based warranty or guarantee that personal data on a specific storage device has been rendered irrecoverable as a final data state following software based erasure.
2) Where software based erasure of storage media is undertaken internally, what recorded evidential assurance is relied upon to conclude that the final data state of the specific storage device is irrecoverable, as distinct from confirmation that an erasure process was executed.
3) Where software based erasure is undertaken by a third party provider:
a. Do the certificates or contractual documents held constitute an explicit outcome based warranty or guarantee of irrecoverability for each specific storage device processed?
b. Beyond reliance on supplier accreditation or recognised standards including but not limited to ADISA certification, ISO accreditation, NIST alignment, HMG IA standards, NHS Digital guidance, or Data Security and Protection Toolkit assertions, and beyond confirmation that a wiping process was completed, does the organisation hold any recorded, device specific documentation evidencing independent verification, testing, or validation that the data on the storage media has been rendered irrecoverable in practice?
4) If no explicit outcome based warranty or device specific outcome evidence is held beyond certification, accreditation, or confirmation of process completion, please confirm what recorded form of evidential assurance is relied upon when concluding that personal data has been rendered irrecoverable.- Response
Q1 & Q2 - All devices are encrypted and are disposed of by National guidelines. During the WEE disposal all disks are shredded and are accompanied by a destruction certificate. This is included within our internal policies for ICT Hardware disposal and complies with regulations.
Q3 – No software-based erasure is undertaken by a third party provider.
It should be noted that the destruction certificate is our guarantee that the disks have been shredded and that all other components are disposed of in line with the guidance. Destruction certificates are held for auditing purposes.
Q4 – The Scottish Ambulance Service receives the destruction certificates which includes the serial numbers of the equipment that has been destroyed.
