The least effective process for eliminating data prior to the media being discarded is high-level formatting. High-level formatting is the process of preparing a storage device, such as a hard disk or a flash drive, for data storage by creating a file system and marking the bad sectors. However, high-level formatting does not erase the data that was previously stored on the device. The data can still be recovered using data recovery tools or forensic techniques. To prevent inadvertent disclosure of restricted information, more secure methods of data sanitization should be used, such as multiple-pass overwriting, degaussing, or physical destruction34. References: 3: Delete Sensitive Data before Discarding Your Media94: Best Practices for Media Destruction10