TCG Opal Secirity Subsystem Class (SSC) 2.0 is a set of specifications for self-encrypting drives that present a hierarchy of security management standards to secure data from theft and tampering. Security features include hardware-based data encryption, pre-boot authentication (PBA) and AES-128/256 data encryption to protect the confidentiality of data at rest.

Software Secure Erase wipes out all user data, overwrites all locations, and prevents the retrieval or recovery of erased data. This feature is activated using an ATA/NVM command to trigger a Fast Erase or Fast Erase + Purge (overwrite) for all flash physical blocks containing user data, such as user data, spare, wear leveling, and bad blocks, as well as all flash blocks containing metadata. Overwriting makes data unrecoverable by replacing all data (user data as well as areas that are not accessible to the user) with patterns or non-sensitive data.

Hardware Secure Erase wipes out all user data, overwrites all locations, and prevents the retrieval or recovery of erased data. This feature is activated using the general-purpose input/output (GPIO) connector to trigger a Fast Erase or Fast Erase + Purge (overwrite) for all flash physical blocks containing user data, such as user data, spare, wear leveling, and bad blocks, as well as all flash blocks containing metadata. Overwriting makes data unrecoverable by replacing all data (user data as well as areas that are not accessible to the user) with patterns or non-sensitive data

Hardware Write Protect safeguards stored data by preventing modifications and deletions. This feature is enabled by putting a jumper on specific pins on the printed circuit board (PCB). Depending on the NAND flash product, the SSD will either deny write commands from the host or render the SSD in “Read Only” mode to thwart write access and data tampering