Which option describes formatting the drive with a low-level disk utility to wipe data?

• A. Overwrite the contents of the hard disk with Junk data
• B. Run the powerful magnets over the hard disk
• C. Format the hard disk using a high-level disk utility
• D. Format the hard disk using a low-level disk utility

Answer: (D)

Disk sanitization at the hardware level is being tested here. Formatting the hard disk with a low-level disk utility describes rewriting the disk’s surface at the physical sector level and rebuilding its basic structures, which effectively erases all existing data and makes recovery extremely difficult. High-level formatting only sets up or recreates the filesystem and partition table, which leaves many sectors with data intact. Overwriting with junk data is a data-wiping technique at the software level, but it isn’t describing a low-level, sector-by-sector format. Using powerful magnets would physically damage the drive and is not a controlled, standard wipe. So, performing a format with a low-level disk utility best fits the description of wiping data at the hardware level.