Which method is NOT typically part of the sanitization process?

The method that is not typically part of the data sanitization process is employing encryption protocols. Data sanitization refers to the various processes used to securely remove data from a storage device, ensuring that it cannot be reconstructed or retrieved by unauthorized individuals. The key methods involved in sanitization include clearing, purging, and destroying.

Clearing is the process of making data inaccessible while still allowing the storage device to function, such as by overwriting existing data with new data. Purging goes a step further by ensuring that the data cannot be recovered, typically through more intensive overwriting or using specific software designed for this purpose. Destroying involves physically damaging the device or rendering it unusable, which provides a final method to eliminate any possibility of data recovery.

In contrast, employing encryption protocols actually serves to protect data from unauthorized access rather than removing it. While encryption is a critical security measure for protecting data in storage and transmission, it does not align with the goals of the sanitization process, which is specifically aimed at making data irretrievable, rather than defending it. Thus, employing encryption protocols falls outside the typical methods of sanitization.