sysinternals/sdelete

Hi @fpefpe ,

Thanks for reaching out!

From my understanding. Currently, SDelete (Sysinternals) still uses the DoD 5220.22‑M overwrite method for file and free space wiping. This standard, originally published in the 1990s, is now considered outdated and has been largely replaced by NIST SP‑800‑88 Rev 1 (2014), which provides updated guidance for modern storage technologies, including SSDs.

• SDelete’s latest version (v2.05) continues to reference DoD 5220.22‑M as its sanitization method.
  • Reference: Sysinternals SDelete Documentation
• DoD 5220.22‑M is no longer the recommended approach for data sanitization. The current best practice is NIST SP‑800‑88 Rev 1, which addresses different media types and secure erase techniques.
  • Reference: NIST SP‑800‑88 Rev 1 Guidelines

will sdelete be update using current standards?

At this time, there is no official announcement or roadmap from Microsoft indicating that SDelete will be updated to implement NIST or other modern standards.

If your compliance or security requirements mandate NIST 800‑88 or similar modern standards, SDelete alone may not suffice. Consider:

• Using tools that explicitly implement NIST SP‑800‑88.
• Leveraging hardware-based secure erase commands (e.g., ATA Secure Erase for SSDs).
• Ensuring your sanitization process includes documentation and verification for audit purposes.

Hope this helps!