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Materialklasse T
In brief
Material class T is, in the DIN 66399 standard, the group of magnetic data carriers, such as magnetic tapes, floppy disks and cards with a magnetic stripe. For them, the standard defines seven security levels from T-1 to T-7, which determine how far a data carrier must be shredded during destruction. Anyone who, for example, has a tape archive destroyed selects the level according to the protection requirement of the data.
Security levels of material class T
DIN 66399 distinguishes material classes by the way data is stored. Hard drives with magnetic platters have their own group with class H. Class T covers the remaining magnetic media.
| Level | Requirement |
|---|---|
| T-1 | mechanically inoperable |
| T-2 | Particles of at most 2,000 mm² |
| T-3 | Particles of at most 320 mm² |
| T-4 | Particles of at most 160 mm² |
| T-5 | Particles of at most 30 mm² |
| T-6 | Particles of at most 10 mm² |
| T-7 | Particles of at most 2.5 mm² |
Which level is appropriate results from the protection class of the data. The relationships are explained by the entry Material class (DIN 66399) and the guide DIN 66399: protection classes and security levels.
Destroying magnetic tapes
Tapes such as LTO are long and thin and cannot be processed by every shredder. Cassette and tape are often shredded together. Some concepts degauss the tapes beforehand, which on its own is not always sufficient for modern tapes, however. Second IT destroys data carriers in-house, documented by serial number and with a certificate of destruction. Clarify the type and quantity of tapes in advance in the quote. More about data carrier destruction at Second IT.
Frequently asked questions about material class T
Which data carriers belong to material class T?
Magnetic data carriers such as magnetic tapes and tape cassettes, floppy disks and ID and access cards with a magnetic stripe. Hard drives fall under material class H.
Which level do I need for backup tapes with personnel data?
That depends on the protection requirement. For personal data with a high protection requirement, a higher level is usually chosen. Determine the level with your data protection or security consultant.
Is it enough to degauss tapes?
Not always. Modern tapes need very strong degaussers, and the result is hard to verify. Many concepts combine degaussing with physical destruction.
What do levels T-1 to T-7 mean?
They are seven security levels of DIN 66399. T-1 only requires that the data carrier is mechanically inoperable. From T-2, there are maximum sizes for particles, which fall to 2.5 mm² by T-7. The higher the level, the smaller the fragments.
How are magnetic tapes such as LTO destroyed?
Tapes are long and thin and cannot be processed by every shredder. Cassette and tape are often shredded together. Some concepts degauss the tapes beforehand. The level depends on the protection requirement of the stored data.
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