What is Defensible destruction?

Understanding Defensible destruction

Eliminating data using a controlled, legally defensible, and regulatory compliant way. Defensible destruction involves permanently removing information in accordance with established retention policies and legal requirements, maintaining documentation that proves proper procedures were followed. This approach protects organizations from allegations of spoliation or improper destruction of evidence. Defensible destruction is addressed in standards like NIST SP 800-88 and legal frameworks including the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Organizations implement defensible destruction through documented policies, procedures, appropriate destruction methods, chain-of-custody records, and destruction certificates. For example, a corporation might maintain detailed logs showing that financial records were retained for the required 7-year period before being destroyed through certified methods, with signed verification from multiple witnesses. Related terms: Data disposal, Media sanitization, Records retention, Legal hold, Chain of custody, Spoliation, Information lifecycle management.