About the author: Phil Taylor has over 35 years of experience in the field of manufacturing, sourcing and distributing paper shredders, cardboard shredders and industrial shredders.
When it comes to protecting sensitive information, not all shredders are created equal. High-security shredders are essential for organisations, businesses and individuals who need to ensure that their documents are destroyed beyond recovery. But how do you know which shredder to choose? In this guide, we’ll dive into the intricacies of security levels P5, P6, and P7, and help you decide which shredder is best for your needs.
What is the Highest Security Level for a Shredder?
The highest security level for a shredder is P7, according to the DIN 66399 international standard. Shredders at this level reduce documents into extremely small particles, making it nearly impossible to reconstruct any information. P7 shredders are typically used by government agencies, military organisations, and businesses handling highly confidential data often in connection with government or military bodies. P7 security is defined by the DIN 66399 standard as “for strictly confidential data with the highest security precautions” and shredded particles can be no more than 5mm² to comply with this security level.
Which Type of Shredder is Most Secure?
The most secure type of shredder is a micro-cut shredder. Micro-cut shredders, particularly those rated at P6 and P7 security levels, produce the smallest shred size, ensuring the highest level of data destruction. These shredders turn documents into particles that are virtually impossible to reassemble, offering unparalleled protection against information theft. It is generally accepted that the term micro-cut refers to shredders with a minimum security level of P5 and thus includes P5 shredders, P6 shredders and P7 shredders. In addition, as shredders at P6 and P7 levels produce such a small particle, units at this level are often further differentiated with the designation crypto-cut shredders.
What is a Level 5 or Security Level P5 Shredder?
A P5 shredder is classified as a micro-cut shredder, offering a higher security level than standard cross-cut shredders. It shreds documents into particles no larger than 30mm², with a maximum width of 2mm. Typical particles sizes for this security level are 1.9 x 15mm or 2 x 15mm. P5 is defined as “data media with confidential information of fundamental importance for a person, company or institution” and so these shredders are ideal for businesses and individuals who need to dispose of particularly sensitive but not top-secret information, such as internal documents, financial records, and personal data.
What is a Level 6 or Security Level P6 Shredder?
A P6 shredder offers a more advanced level of security compared to P5. It shreds documents into even smaller particles of no more than 10mm² providing enhanced protection against data breaches. Shredders in this category usually shred to particles 0.78 x 11mm or 0.8 x 12mm. P6 shredders are suitable for organisations or businesses dealing with highly confidential information that could cause significant harm if leaked, such as legal documents, proprietary business information, detailed financial data in the banking sector or in environments such as central & local government, police forces and military related settings.
For example, the HSM Securio B32 P6 Crypto Cut Heavy Duty Shredder is a robust option for offices that require regular shredding of highly sensitive documents.
What is a Level 7 or Security Level P7 Shredder?
The P7 shredder is the pinnacle of document destruction, reducing paper to particles of no more than 5mm². Typically, particles are 0.8 x 5mm or 1 x 5mm in size. This level of shredding is necessary for documents containing top-secret information where the slightest risk of data recovery cannot be tolerated. P7 shredders meet the highest security standards required by government bodies, military departments, and organisations dealing with highly classified information.
For those in need of a P7 shredder, the Fellowes Fortishred 3250HS Heavy Duty High Security P7 Crypto Cut Shredder offers maximum security combined with heavy-duty performance.
Which is Better, a Micro-Cut or a Cross-Cut Shredder?
When it comes to choosing between a micro-cut and a cross-cut shredder, the decision hinges on the level of security required.
Cross-cut shredders usually process documents into particles meeting P4 security level which must not exceed 160mm² and provides good security more than adequate for most personal, commercial, educational and medical purposes. They are efficient and offer a good balance between security and sheet capacity.
Micro-cut shredders take security a step further by turning documents into confetti-like particles or even smaller, making them ideal for shredding highly sensitive or confidential information. The term micro-cut refers to shredders with a minimum security level of P5 and thus includes P5 shredders, P6 shredders and P7 shredders. If data security is your top priority, a micro-cut shredder is the better choice.
What Does an NPSA Shredder Mean?
An NPSA shredder refers to shredders that meet the standards set by the National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) in the UK. NPSA (formerly CPNI) is the government authority for protective security advice to the UK national infrastructure. Its role is to protect national security by helping to reduce the vulnerability of the national infrastructure to terrorism and other threats. It is accountable to the Director General of MI5. NPSA has evaluated and given approval to certain makes and models of shredder as meeting the NPSA Standard – Secure Destruction of Sensitive Items. The NPSA shredders on our website have been evaluated and approved as meeting the NPSA standard and are therefore authorised to carry the NPSA Trademark. These standards ensure that the shredder is capable of securely destroying classified information. NPSA-approved shredders are required by government and military organisations, as well as any entity dealing with highly confidential data. They can be P5 security level, but are more typically P6 shredding machines or P7 shredding machines, ensuring that shredded material is reduced to a size that renders document reconstruction impossible.
If you’re looking for a high-performance NPSA shredder, the HSM Securio B34 P7 Crypto Cut Heavy Duty Shredder is a top choice, designed for heavy-duty use in demanding environments.
Can I Shred Optical Media Such As CDs and DVDs To High Security Levels?
Yes, it is possible to shred optical media and the data contained on it to very small particles in a similar way. DIN 66399 divides data carriers into 6 categories and uses a letter identifier to differentiate the categories as follows: paper – P; optical media – O; magnetic media – T; electronic media – E; films & foil media – F; and hard drives & solid states drives – H.
When referring to high security levels for optical media, we therefore talk about O5, O6 and O7. Due to the high data capacity of optical media, DIN 66399 stipulates that the particle sizes must be smaller than the comparable paper security levels, so for O5 particles can be no more than 10mm²; for O6 no more than 5mm² and for O7 no greater than 2mm². In practice, with one exception, O7 is only achievable with very high-end, industrial solutions when it comes to optical media, but there are plenty of specialist Optical Media Shredders available for shredding CDs and DVDs to O5 and O6.
For instance, the Kobra 400HS-OM O6 Crypto Cut Optical Media Shredder exemplifies the superior security of micro-cut shredders, offering O6-level protection for the most demanding environments.
Kobra also offer units that can shred both paper and optical media through the same unit to high security levels such as the Kobra 400HS Combi High Security P6 Crypto Cut Shredder and Kobra 400HS-6 Combi Very High Security P7 Crypto Cut Shredder.
Conclusion
Choosing the right high-security shredder is crucial for safeguarding sensitive information. Whether you need a P5 shredder for everyday confidential documents or a P7 shredder for top-secret data, understanding the security levels will help you make an informed decision. For the highest level of protection, crypto-cut shredders at P6 or P7 are the best options, ensuring that your information is destroyed beyond recovery.
Invest in a high-security shredder today and protect your information from falling into the wrong hands.
