Bitlocker encrypting / Formatting SSD before reuse

[stoofa]

Hi,

We are looking to give away some old laptops to staff. The laptops don't contain any sensitive information, however we'd like to ensure that data recovery would be as difficult as possible (not that we don't trust the staff - but of course we cannot control what happens to the laptop once we've given it away).

It was suggested that we could complete a wipe on the drives and then Bitlocker encrypt them with a random, silly long password. Once completed, format the drive again.
The theory being that even if someone was running some high specification data retrieval software, the data couldn't be recovered as it had been Bitlocker encrypted.
Is that actually a sound theory? Or does formatting the drive actually improve the chance of someone then being able to recover any of the data?

I know, if you're in any doubt simply purchase new SSD's, and I do agree. But just interested now if taking a drive, Bitlocker encrypting and then formatting would make actual useful data recovery all but impossible.

Ta

 

[Deleted member 77746]

you can't recover anything if bitlocker was enabled, it will scramble the data completely without the bitlocker key or access to the OS nobody will get data back. If it was me I would take the drives out and tell them to sign a form saying they can have the laptops as long as they install their own hard drive and get their own operating system installed.

IMO.

 

[VersionMonkey]

Why not enable bitlocker on the PCs as they are first and then erase the drives once the encryption was complete (not format - use the ATA secure erase command from a linux boot disk or drive vendor's software)?

With SSDs, an ATA secure erase should be good enough by itself - it triggers an electrical erase of all the NAND cells on the drive. Especially if there's no sensitive data as recovery would require specialist equipment and even then would be doubtful.

But if bitlocker was enabled it shouldn't be recoverable without the key anyway.

 

[OspreyO]

Our policy is to take the drives out or a 3 pass wipe.

With SSDs especially old ones secure erase doesn't always do what it says on the label.

With my own HD drives I just fill them once and one pass encrypt. Haven't done a SSD yet.