Re: [Fedora 14] Linux hard disk shredder?

Responding to: Richard Kettlewell

Mike Jones <luck@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes:
Responding to: Richard Kettlewell
Eef Hartman <E.J.M.Hartman@xxxxxxxxxx> writes:

Not really. Even the 7-pass "govermental security wipe" still leaves
remainder magnetism on the disk so some data can be reconstructed.
OK, it will take a LOT of work with specialized equipment.

Do you have any actual evidence that this is true for any vaguely
modern spinning disk - for instance an example of someone actually
recovering something that was overwritten once with 0s?

Nobody else appears to.

I don't recall the CIA publishing their methods or results. ;)

True though I'm sceptical that they can do significantly more than the
civilian sector here.

However if you think a state-level actor is after your data then how you
decomission old disks is the least of your problems - physical and
electronic break-ins and subornment of people with legitimate access all
seem like more realistic threats, not to mention the legal system if
you're unfortunate enough to be up against your own government.

One final point: if your data is particularly confidential, the very
least you should be doing is encrypting it, making disk decomissioning
techniques largely moot.


It tends to come down to "peace of mind" IMO.

True, a single wipe will effectively blank a platter these days, but
three wipes don't hurt and one can be a lot surer.

No point not doing it if you have the time.

--
*=( http://www.churchofreality.org/
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: [Fedora 14] Linux hard disk shredder?
    ... remainder magnetism on the disk so some data can be reconstructed. ... it will take a LOT of work with specialized equipment. ... least you should be doing is encrypting it, making disk decomissioning ...
    (alt.os.linux)
  • Re: [Fedora 14] Linux hard disk shredder?
    ... Even the 7-pass "govermental security wipe" still leaves ... remainder magnetism on the disk so some data can be reconstructed. ... it will take a LOT of work with specialized equipment. ... use of the disk space. ...
    (alt.os.linux)
  • Re: [Fedora 14] Linux hard disk shredder?
    ... remainder magnetism on the disk so some data can be reconstructed. ... it will take a LOT of work with specialized equipment. ... use of the disk space. ... is wipe with zeroes, wipe with ones, repeat this 3 times, then wipe ...
    (alt.os.linux)