degaussing

1. [Data Security] A procedure that renders data unreadable by applying a strong magnetic field to the media.

2. [Data Security]

Applying a degaussing procedure.

Degaussing is also called demagnetizing and erasure. Both of these terms are misleading, because in magnetic digital media the individual magnetic domains are not erased or demagnetized, but simply made to line up in the same direction, which eliminates any previous digital structure.