Destructive read is a memory operation in which the act of reading data from a storage location causes the original data to be erased or altered. This means that after the data is read, it is no longer available in its original form at that location. Destructive reads are commonly associated with certain types of memory, such as dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) or some forms of magnetic storage, where the process of retrieving data inherently changes or removes the stored information. In cybersecurity, understanding destructive read operations is important for data integrity, forensic analysis, and secure data handling, as it affects how data can be recovered or protected from unauthorized access.