Answer :
Final answer:
The recommended procedure to dispose of a 2.5 terabyte hard drive is to use data wiping, which involves overwriting the entire hard drive with random data multiple times. Drilling through or smashing the hard drive is not recommended as it may not completely destroy the data.
Explanation:
The recommended procedure to dispose of a 2.5 terabyte hard drive that contains confidential financial information is to use data wiping. Data wiping involves using specialized software to overwrite the entire hard drive with random data multiple times, making it extremely difficult to recover any information from the drive. This method ensures that the data is securely erased, and the hard drive can then be safely recycled or disposed of.
Drilling through the HDD, smashing the platters with a hammer, or immersing the HDD in a weak solution of bicarbonate of soda are not recommended procedures for disposing of a hard drive with confidential information. These methods may physically damage the hard drive, but they may not completely destroy the data, leaving it vulnerable to potential recovery by malicious individuals.