Discussion:

This requirement applies to all system media, digital and non-digital, subject to disposal or reuse. Examples include: digital media found in workstations, network components, scanners, copiers, printers, notebook computers, and mobile devices; and non-digital media such as paper and microfilm. The sanitization process removes information from the media such that the information cannot be retrieved or reconstructed. Sanitization techniques, including clearing, purging, cryptographic erase, and destruction, prevent the disclosure of information to unauthorized individuals when such media is released for reuse or disposal.

Organizations determine the appropriate sanitization methods, recognizing that destruction may be necessary when other methods cannot be applied to the media requiring sanitization. Organizations use discretion on the employment of sanitization techniques and procedures for media containing information that is in the public domain or publicly releasable or deemed to have no adverse impact on organizations or individuals if released for reuse or disposal. Sanitization of non-digital media includes destruction, removing CUI from documents, or redacting selected sections or words from a document by obscuring the redacted sections or words in a manner equivalent in effectiveness to removing the words or sections from the document. NARA policy and guidance control sanitization processes for controlled unclassified information.

[SP 800-88] provides guidance on media sanitization.

Upon assessment, assessors must determine if-

3.8.3[a] system media containing CUI is sanitized or destroyed before disposal.
3.8.3[b] system media containing CUI is sanitized before it is released for reuse.

Assessors are instructed to-

Examine: [SELECT FROM: System media protection policy; procedures addressing media sanitization and disposal; applicable standards and policies addressing media sanitization; system security plan; media sanitization records; system audit logs and records; system design documentation; system configuration settings and associated documentation; other relevant documents or records].

Interview: [SELECT FROM: Personnel with media sanitization responsibilities; personnel with information security responsibilities; system or network administrators].

Test: [SELECT FROM: Organizational processes for media sanitization; mechanisms supporting or implementing media sanitization].