What is the Advanced Secure Deletion Algorithm developed by Protectstar? What steps does the Advanced Secure Deletion Algorithm (ASDA) include?

The Advanced Secure Deletion Algorithm, developed by Protectstar Inc. in 2017, is a four-step process for securely deleting data. The algorithm was designed to replace the Secure Deletion Algorithm that had been in use for more than ten years. The four steps of the Advanced Secure Deletion Algorithm are as follows:

1. In the first pass, all data is overwritten with a specific pattern (represented in the text as “0xff”). This step is intended to make it harder for hackers or forensic analysts to recover the data by overwriting it with a known pattern.

2. The second pass uses 256-bit AES (Advanced Encryption Algorithm) to fully encrypt the data blocks. This step ensures that the data is protected with a strong and secure encryption method.

3. The third pass performs a full verification of the written data and a secure deletion using a unique pattern (represented in the text as “10010010, 01001001, 00100100 + verification”). Any incorrectly read or verified sectors/blocks are documented in the erasure report. This step ensures that all data has been properly deleted and that there were no errors or issues during the process.

4. In the final pass, all data is overwritten with a random pattern (referred to in the text as “Random”), using high-quality random numbers based on the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS). This step helps further obscure the data and makes recovery even more difficult.

Overall, the Advanced Secure Deletion Algorithm is a comprehensive and reliable method for securely deleting data to protect it against recovery.