Data can be erased from hard drives using three methods: wiping, degaussing, and shredding, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. The process of data wiping, also known as data sanitization, involves overwriting the entire hard drive with random data, making it impossible to retrieve the original information. While this method is cost-effective and environmentally friendly, it may not guarantee absolute data eradication in the face of advanced forensic techniques. Meanwhile, degaussing involves the use of powerful magnetic fields in order to scramble the data. As fast and thorough as it is, it renders data recovery nearly impossible, but it can only be used on magnetic media, like traditional hard drives, and it renders the drive unusable afterward as well. Last but not least, hard disk shredding physically destroys the drive, ensuring data security but generating electronic waste. The choice between these methods depends on the level of security needed, cost considerations, and environmental impact concerns.