Destructcert — Full product documentation

This page documents every feature Destructcert is designed to provide: what it does, how to use it step by step, what it validates, and what it deliberately does not do. The documentation describes the product as planned — the tool itself is not yet available for use. See the homepage for current status.

Destructcert is a browser-based tool for generating certificates of destruction for IT assets, validated against NIST SP 800-88 Rev. 1 (Guidelines for Media Sanitization).

An ITAD vendor's typical certificate is a logo and a sentence. The standard asks for specifics: which sanitization category was used (Clear, Purge or Destroy), what technique, on what media type, who verified it, and when. Destructcert produces a document that answers those questions — per asset, numbered, with a standard citation.

Core workflow:

• Enter assets — by serial number with make, media type, and sanitization method
• Validate — each row is checked against the NIST 800-88 matrix; invalid media×method combinations are rejected with a clear error
• Generate — a numbered certificate (CERT-001, CERT-002, … per session) with date, asset table, and disclosure statement
• Export — download as HTML or print to PDF from the browser

All processing happens in your browser. No asset data — serial numbers, makes, media types, methods, or certificate contents — is transmitted to any server. Closing the tab discards everything.

Destructcert's validation implements the NIST 800-88 media×method applicability table exactly. A method that does not apply to a media type is rejected with a citation from the standard.

Why this matters: An SSD cannot be "Cleared" by overwrite alone — the standard says Purge or Destroy. A tape can be Cleared (overwrite) or Purged (degaussing). An optical disc can only be Destroyed. These rules are enforced at the point of entry, so every row on your certificate is already compliant.

Every certificate generated by Destructcert follows a consistent structure:

• Title: "Certificate of Destruction"
• Certificate number: Sequentially numbered per session (CERT-001, CERT-002, …)
• Generation date: The date the certificate was generated
• Standard reference: Statement citing NIST SP 800-88 Rev. 1
• Asset table: Row per asset — serial number, make/model, media type, sanitization method
• Summary: Total assets count, optionally broken down by method
• Disclosure footer: "This document records the asset details and sanitization methods as entered by the operator. Destructcert does not itself verify that any drive or device was sanitized."

The certificate is generated as HTML, styled for print. To save as PDF, use the browser's print dialog (Ctrl+P / Cmd+P) and select "Save as PDF".

Destructcert is designed with a single principle: no server-side processing, no data retention, no accounts. All code runs in your browser via vanilla JavaScript.

• No transmission: Asset data — serial numbers, makes, media types, methods, certificate contents — never leaves your browser. No data is sent to any server, API, or third party.
• No storage: Closing the browser tab or refreshing the page discards everything. There is no database, no session store, no server-side persistence.
• No accounts: There is nothing to sign in to. No user profiles, no authentication, no cookies (except localStorage for theme preference).
• No analytics: No tracking scripts, analytics, or beacons are loaded. The only external requests are to Google Fonts for typeface rendering.

See the privacy page for the full privacy statement.

Destructcert documents what the operator entered. It does not itself verify that any drive was sanitized. The accuracy of each certificate depends entirely on the accuracy of the information provided.

These are design decisions, not missing features. A tool that validates against a standard and produces a document has no reason to store, send, or authenticate anything.

Bulk entry tips:

• Prepare your asset data in a spreadsheet, export as CSV (comma-separated), and paste the rows into the batch textarea
• Each line should be: serial_number, make/model, media_type, method
• Media type must be one of: HDD, SSD, SSHD, Tape, Optical, Flash/USB
• Method must be one of: Clear, Purge, Destroy
• Lines with invalid media×method combinations are flagged individually — you can fix and re-paste

Certificate numbering: Certificate numbers reset when you close the tab. They are sequential within a single session (CERT-001, CERT-002, …). There is no global or cross-session numbering.

Multiple certificates per session: You can generate multiple certificates in one session. Each is numbered sequentially. The asset list persists between certificate generations — you can add or remove assets and generate another certificate.

Print quality: The certificate includes a @media print stylesheet that removes background colours, hides navigation elements, and ensures the certificate body prints cleanly.

Dark mode: The page supports a light/dark theme toggle. Your preference is saved in localStorage and persists across visits.