This can be achieved by using full-disk encryption (FDE) or self-encrypting drives (SED). I dont think you CAN damage your drive using Disk Utility, but the safest way to stop an interminable high-security erase is to choose stop from the apps. You can choose quick erase or secure erase, depending on your needs. The only truly better method than using ESE is NOT having data on the drive in the first place. Choose the HD you want to erase, then click erase.The lesser ATA 'Secure Erase' command is faster but only overwrites with 'zeros', rather than a random pattern.Some PC BIOS (or OS) block the ATA command(s) from being run, and some (much older) brand/models (of drive) are problematic, due to poor implementation of ESE.The program icon looks like this: Select the external drive you want to format on the left hand side of the window. In the menu bar at the top of the screen, select View > Show All Devices. How to Reformat on Mac: Open Disk Utility. This advice ignores older magnetic-media (from pre-2001 and/or less then 15GB in capacity). Select 'Disk Utility' and click 'Continue.' Select 'Disk Utility,' then click 'Continue.' Apple 5.If this command can NOT be used, the media needs to be 'destructed' (converted to <2mm size fragments, or melted in a furnace). The ONLY plausible method (for HDD, SSHD and SSD) is to use the ATA 'Enhanced Secure Erase' (ESE) command to 'remove' all stored and residual data. Any spare blocks (especially reserved cells on SSDs) will not be erased. You need to click on 'View' within Disk Utility and select 'Show All Devices' before the physical drive is shown on the left pane of Disk Utility. The problem with using OS level commands such sa DD is that they will only erase blocks seen by the OS. You want to erase the physical drive, but with recent versions of Disk Utility the physical drive is hidden from view by default. Another option for reference is to use the ATA Secure Erase method using hdparm.

Disk utility erase