220-1102 Question 526
Single answerIncinerationA healthcare clinic is retiring several damaged backup tapes that previously stored patient records. The office manager is concerned that the tapes cannot be reused or resold and wants to make sure the data cannot be recovered by any practical means. The clinic does not have equipment to shred optical or magnetic media on-site, but it does use a certified destruction vendor. Which disposal method is the MOST appropriate for these backup tapes?
- A
Perform a quick format on the tapes and place them in standard recycling bins
- B
Incinerate the tapes through the certified destruction vendor
- C
Delete the backup catalog entries and store the tapes in a locked closet indefinitely
- D
Run standard file-level antivirus scans on the tapes before disposal
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
The best answer is to incinerate the tapes through the certified destruction vendor. In CompTIA A+ Core 2, candidates are expected to recognize secure data destruction methods for sensitive media, including physical destruction techniques such as shredding, pulverizing, and incineration. Incineration is particularly appropriate when media is damaged, difficult to sanitize reliably, or must be rendered completely unrecoverable. In a healthcare setting, this also supports the organization's obligation to protect patient information under applicable privacy and security requirements. A certified destruction vendor is important because it helps preserve chain of custody, provides documented destruction, and reduces the risk of improper disposal. By contrast, formatting, simple storage, or antivirus scanning do not securely destroy data.
- A. Incorrect.
Incorrect. A quick format does not reliably sanitize data, and standard recycling is not an approved secure disposal method for media containing sensitive information. On A+ Core 2, secure disposal requires methods that render data unreadable, especially for regulated data such as patient records.
- B. Correct.
Correct. Incineration is an approved physical destruction method for media that must be permanently destroyed. In this scenario, the tapes contain sensitive healthcare data and are no longer needed. Using a certified destruction vendor aligns with best practices for chain of custody and secure destruction of media when recovery must be prevented.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Locking the tapes away is not disposal and does not address the risk of future exposure, loss, or unauthorized access. Retaining unneeded media with sensitive data increases security and compliance risk instead of eliminating it.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Antivirus scanning checks for malware, not whether data has been securely destroyed. It does nothing to sanitize or physically destroy the contents of the tapes.