More GDPR FUD
Yay! Yet more GDPR FUD. Anybody would have thought that's there a lot of money to be made out of scaring people/organisations into consultancy. :/
It is NOT REQUIRED, nor specified, anywhere within GDPR that when deleting the information relating to a natural person (i.e. an individual and not a corporate or other abstract entity of any form) that the data has to be securely encrypted, scrubbed, overwritten with random data, zeros, ones or anything.
The GDPR isn't a particularly hard document to read and Section 3, Article 17 "Right to erasure ('right to be forgotten')" is not prescriptive in how data must be erased, just that it is. In general and where possible throughout the GDPR the wording for any process usually states "reasonable" methods and does not specify any particular implementation - this is very sensible given the rapid change in technology.
For the convenience of other commentards, here's the section from the GDPR (note the absence of prescribed methods, Para 2 contains the usual terminology around obligations which are reasonable to perform):
Article 17
Right to erasure (‘right to be forgotten’)
1. The data subject shall have the right to obtain from the controller the erasure of personal data concerning him or her without undue delay and the controller shall have the obligation to erase personal data without undue delay where one of the following grounds applies:
(a) the personal data are no longer necessary in relation to the purposes for which they were collected or otherwise processed; 4.5.2016 L 119/43 Official Journal of the European Union EN
(b) the data subject withdraws consent on which the processing is based according to point (a) of Article 6(1), or point (a) of Article 9(2), and where there is no other legal ground for the processing;
(c) the data subject objects to the processing pursuant to Article 21(1) and there are no overriding legitimate grounds for the processing, or the data subject objects to the processing pursuant to Article 21(2);
(d) the personal data have been unlawfully processed;
(e) the personal data have to be erased for compliance with a legal obligation in Union or Member State law to which the controller is subject;
(f) the personal data have been collected in relation to the offer of information society services referred to in Article 8(1).
2. Where the controller has made the personal data public and is obliged pursuant to paragraph 1 to erase the personal data, the controller, taking account of available technology and the cost of implementation, shall take reasonable steps, including technical measures, to inform controllers which are processing the personal data that the data subject has requested the erasure by such controllers of any links to, or copy or replication of, those personal data.
3. Paragraphs 1 and 2 shall not apply to the extent that processing is necessary:
(a) for exercising the right of freedom of expression and information;
(b) for compliance with a legal obligation which requires processing by Union or Member State law to which the controller is subject or for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller;
(c) for reasons of public interest in the area of public health in accordance with points (h) and (i) of Article 9(2) as well as Article 9(3);
(d) for archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes in accordance with Article 89(1) in so far as the right referred to in paragraph 1 is likely to render impossible or seriously impair the achievement of the objectives of that processing; or
(e) for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.