What process involves applying strong magnetic fields to erase data on hard drives and tapes?

Degaussing is the process that involves applying strong magnetic fields to erase data on hard drives and tapes. This method works by disrupting the magnetic fields that store data, effectively rendering the information unrecoverable. It is an effective technique for sanitizing magnetic storage devices, ensuring that sensitive information cannot be retrieved after degaussing has been applied.

Understanding the context of this process is essential for data security, particularly in situations where organizations need to dispose of or repurpose storage media that contain confidential information. By using degaussing, organizations can mitigate the risk of data breaches and comply with regulations regarding data destruction.

The other processes mentioned do not involve erasing data through magnetic fields. Data seizure refers to the lawful confiscation of evidence, defense in depth focuses on a layered approach to security, and database activity monitoring involves observing and analyzing database activities for security purposes. These concepts are relevant in security practices but do not relate to the mechanism of data erasure performed by degaussing.