The Gold Standard of Data Destruction: Understanding DIN 66399 and ISO/IEC 21964

3 days ago
3 min read

In the modern business landscape, data is your most valuable asset—and your greatest liability. With global regulations like GDPR and HIPAA demanding strict data privacy, simply tossing an old hard drive in the trash is no longer an option.

To ensure your ITAD (IT Asset Disposition) process is compliant, you need to speak the language of professional shredding: DIN 66399.

What is DIN 66399?

DIN 66399 is the comprehensive German standard that defines the requirements for the secure destruction of data carriers. Unlike older standards that focused primarily on paper, DIN 66399 was designed for the digital age, covering everything from hard drives and mobile phones to microfiche and optical discs.

DIN 66399 vs. ISO/IEC 21964: What’s the Difference?

You may see these two codes used interchangeably. Here is the secret: they are essentially the same. Because the German DIN 66399 was so technically robust, it was adopted as the international standard in 2018 under the name ISO/IEC 21964. Whether your organization references the German DIN or the International ISO, the security levels and technical requirements for particle sizes remain identical.

The Three Pillars of Data Destruction

To choose the right shredder, you must understand the three variables that define the process:

1. The 3 Protection Classes

The standard categorizes data based on its sensitivity and the risk to the organization if leaked:

Class 1 (Normal Protection): For internal data where disclosure would have a limited impact (e.g., non-sensitive correspondence). Usually supported by Security Levels 1–3.
Class 2 (High Protection): For confidential data restricted to a small group (e.g., personal records, financial reports). Usually supported by Security Levels 3–5.
Class 3 (Very High Protection): For strictly confidential or secret data (e.g., government intelligence, R&D). Requires Security Levels 5–7.

2. The 6 Material Classifications

The standard recognizes that shredding paper is different from shredding a circuit board. It uses letters to denote the media:

P: Paper products
O: Optical media (CDs/DVDs)
T: Magnetic data (Floppy disks, ID cards)
E: Electronic data (USBs, SSDs, SIM cards)
F: Film-based media (Microfilm)
H: Hard Drives (Magnetic HDDs)

3. The 7 Security Levels

Ranging from Level 1 (general documents) to Level 7 (highest secrecy), these levels determine the maximum size of the shredded particle. The higher the level, the smaller the particle.

DIN 66399 and ISO/IEC 21964 shredding standard

4. Real-World Application: Choosing the Right Shredder

At DataExpert, we design our equipment to meet these exact industrial benchmarks. Here is how our hardware aligns with the standards:

For Confidential Business Data: The DataExpert Combo Hard Disk Shredder (DEZ-HS3000) is a versatile solution for high-volume needs. It produces a shredding particle size of 18mm × random for HDDs and 9mm × random for SSDs. This places it at Level E-3 and H-4, perfect for Class 2 confidential data.

For Secret or Strictly Confidential Data: When the risk of data recovery must be zero, you need a finer cut. Our DEZ-SSD2X2 (Flash, SSD & Mobile Phone Shredder) produces a tiny 2mm × 2mm particle, reaching Level E-5.

For magnetic storage, our H-5 Level Hard Disk Shredder reduces drives to particles of approximately 320mm², meeting the strict Level H-5 requirement for high-secrecy environments.

Conclusion: Match Your Shredder to Your Risk

Effective e-waste management isn't just about recycling; it's about security. The most important step in your ITAD strategy is choosing a shredding solution that matches your data type and protection class.

Don’t leave your data security to chance. If you aren't sure which security level your industry requires, our experts are here to help.

Would you like a free consultation? Contact our ITAD consultants today to find the perfect shredding solution for your business.