Exploring Data Wiping Practices in the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) HQ

Abstract

Data wiping is a very important part of cybersecurity. It is the act of deleting data so that it cannot be recovered. The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) as part of the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) has also recognized the importance of data wiping in safeguarding national security. Senior staff officers at the RMAF headquarters, Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), are given laptops for work-related purposes. As such, the laptops might contain secret and top-secret work-related documents. When the officer is posted out from MINDEF, laptops will have to be returned. Malaysia is experiencing rapid economic growth and digital transformation, but it faces cybersecurity challenges that threaten its stability. Cyber threats come from various sources, leading to data breaches and other incidents. Data wiping, the secure erasure of data from storage devices, is crucial for protecting sensitive information. The Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) requires organizations to implement data erasure measures. This paper aims to explore the current data wiping practices in the RMAF.