What's the difference between data wiping, degaussing, and shredding for data destruction?

Data wiping, degaussing, and shredding are three distinct methods of permanently destroying data, each suited to different media types. Data wiping uses certified software to overwrite a drive’s contents multiple times, making the original data unrecoverable while allowing the device to be reused; it works on HDDs, SSDs, servers, laptops, and mobile devices. Degaussing exposes magnetic media to a powerful magnetic field that erases stored data, but it only works on HDDs and magnetic tape, not SSDs, and permanently disables the device. Shredding physically destroys the media into small fragments, typically under 0.75 inches per NIST SP 800-88/800-36 standards, guaranteeing no data recovery is possible; it works on hard disks, magnetic tape, and CDs/DVDs. Organizations often combine methods based on data sensitivity and whether the equipment needs to retain resale value or be fully destroyed for maximum security.