Paper Shredder Security Levels

Paper shredder security levels are according to DIN
32757. Security Level Six is a USA
National Security Agency / Department of Defense
certification, not DIN 32757 certified.
Security Level 1 Designed for shredding general purposes,
- Strip Width: equal to or less than 1/2” (12 millimeters)
- Strip Length: Infinite
Security Level 2 Designed for general shredding purposes
- Strip Width: equal to or less than 1/4” (6 millimeters)
- Strip Length: Infinite
Security Level 3 Designed for confidential, commercial, corporate, and personal data. Most commonly used security level.
- Particle Width: equal to or less than 3/16” (4 millimeters)
- Particle Width: equal to or less than 3” (80 millimeters)
- Total shred area not to exceed a total of 320 square millimeters
Security Level 4 Designed for shredding very sensitive and very confidential, commercial corporate, and/ personal data. Highest level security needed for commercial destruction.
- Particle Width: equal to or less than 3/32” (.8 millimeters)
- Particle Width: equal to or less than 5/8” (15 millimeters)
- Total shred area not to exceed a total of 30 square millimeters
Security Level 5 Designated secret / espionage proof. Met previous DOD/NSA specifications
- Particle Width: equal to or less than 1/32” (1 millimeter)
- Particle Width: equal to or less than 1/2” (15 millimeters)
- Total shred area not to exceed a total of 10 square millimeters
Security Level 6 Designated top secret. Specially designed to meet requirements of the Department of Defense (DOD/NSA) and the exacting standards of the U.S. Military, national security organizations, government agencies and government contractors. Security level six shredders surpass NSA/CSS specifications.
- Particle Width: equal to or less than 1/32” (1 millimeter)
- Particle Width: equal to or less than 7/32” (5 millimeters)
- Total shred area not to exceed a total of 5 square millimeters





