Originally posted here by nihil
[B]Hi kythe ,

What Catch and I have been discussing here is a process known as "covering your a$$"

A single overwrite would suffice in most situations, as a software retrieval solution would not be possible. Beyond that you go to laboratory forensics that rely on magnetic remnance and track overlay. Formatting, however, DOES NOT overwrite the original data.
I agree completely, and if you're bothering to format the drive, I see no reason why you can't spend an extra hour and overwrite the drive at least once.

If you have something that you think someone would pay for that resource for, then you DESTROY THE DRIVE
I think it depends upon just how much they'd be willing to pay. Most people's hard drives likely contain enough information to steal their identity. Yet, I'd wager that in most cases, it wouldn't be cost-effective to subject the average hard drive to techniques that a simple overwrite couldn't defeat.

The DoD itself considers a three-pass overwrite to be sufficient to protect Secret-level classified data. While probably not priceless, this is information that governments would pay a lot of money for; yet a cost-benefit analysis has clearly indicated that recovery of the data just wouldn't be worth it for an adversary.

From a corporate/institutional viewpoint a properly documented process is important, because you are accountable. If it is your own stuff it is your problem and your choice.
A properly-documented process is indeed important. There is something to the old adage about it being easier to ask for forgiveness than permission, though, and frankly, it should be a standard procedure for any corporation that used hard drives that are about to be released to a stranger be overwritten, anyway. It's quick, it's easy, and it will prevent needless loss of valuable data.

To my mind, there's simply no excuse not to overwrite.

Kythe