Device
Mag-pulse device
Legends
Legends. This article is part of Legends: the expanded-universe stories that Lucasfilm set apart from canon in 2014.
A mag-pulse device was a piece of equipment that was commonly used to erase computer records in a hurry. In the event of the evacuation of a military installation, computers needed to be wiped to prevent the contents from falling into enemy. Mag-pulse devices were employed to ensure vital intelligence was not recovered, but it was considered to be wasteful bridge-burning.
Text and facts from the “Mag-pulse device” article on Wookieepedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Modified for this site.