Classified information can be destroyed using several approved methods that ensure the information is unreadable, indecipherable, and irrecoverable. These methods include:
- Burning
- Cross-cut shredding (with NSA or equivalent approved shredders)
- Wet-pulping
- Melting
- Mutilation
- Chemical decomposition
- Pulverizing or disintegration
- Degaussing or sanding (for electronic media and CDs)
- Overwriting (for electronic media reuse within the same environment only)
Only equipment and processes approved by the National Security Agency (NSA) or equivalent authoritative security agencies may be used for these destruction methods. These methods apply to paper-based classified materials as well as electronic media like hard drives, smart cards, CDs, and magnetic tapes. The goal is to completely preclude recognition or reconstruction of the classified information to protect national security.
