Secure-delete-files

Description

When files are deleted, data still resides on the hard drive (though the reference to the file is removed). Even if the data is over-written by other files, it's still possible to restore the old files (there are tools for it). You will find below a list of tools for Mac OS, Windows and Linux to securely remove files.

Standards

US DoD 5220.22-M standard

DoD 5220.22-M is a software based data sanitization method used in various data destruction programs to overwrite existing information on a hard drive or other storage device.

The DoD 5220.22-M data sanitization method is based on a 3-passes (E-norm) or 7-passes process (ECE-norm):

• Pass 1: Writes a zero and verifies the write
• Pass 2: Writes a one and verifies the write
• Pass 3: Writes a random character and verifies the write

Gutmann standard

The Gutmann method consists in writing 35 times on a hard drive. Gutmann himself considers this method as unuseful and outdated.

RCMP standard

The RCMP TSSIT OPS-II is a software based data sanitization method used in various data destruction programs to overwrite existing information on a hard drive or other storage device.

The RCMP TSSIT OPS-II data sanitization method is usually implemented in the following way:

• Pass 1: Writes a zero
• Pass 2: Writes one
• Pass 3: Writes a zero
• Pass 4: Writes one
• Pass 5: Writes a zero
• Pass 6: Writes one
• Pass 7: Writes a random character and verifies the write

Tools

Mac OS

• finder > empty trash in secure mode
• CCleaner is also available for Mac OS.

Windows

eraser

The eraser utility

Features:

• Supports US DoD 5220.22-M and Gutmann standards
• On demand and Schedule deletion
• Integration with explorer (contextual menu)
• Also comes with a portable executable easy to install on a USB flash drive

Download

• Eraser can be downloaded here: http://sourceforge.net/projects/eraser/files/.
• At the time of this writing, the latest version available is 6.0.10.

freeraser

The freeeraser utility

Features

• Drag and drop
• fast method
• filling space with random data
• US DoD 5220.22-M and Gutmann standards

Download

• The program can be downloaded here: http://fileslocker.com/dl/Freeraser/FreeraserSetup.exe
• At the time of this writing, the latest version available is 1.0.0.23.

SDelete

The SDelete utility

Features

• CLI (Command Line Interface) based tool
• Supports DoD 5220.22-M with custom number of passes
• Zero free space (optional)

Download

• http://download.sysinternals.com/files/SDelete.zip
• At the time of this writing, latest version available is 1.6.

CCleaner

CCleaner

Features

• Available for Windows and Mac
• Supports US DoD 5220.22-M (1, 3 or 7-passes) and Gutmann (35 passes)
• Applies to an entire drive (no selective file)

Download

• CCleaner can be downloaded here: http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/download
• At the time of this writing, the latest available version is 3.20.1750

DP Shredder

DP Shredder

Features

• Supports RCMP, DoD 5220.22-M (3 and 7 passes) and Gutmann (35 passes)

Download

• DP Shredder can be downloaded here: http://www.portablefreeware.com/download.php?dd=1470
• At the time of this writing, latest version available is 1.5.

Linux

shred

$ sudo apt-get install coreutils

secure-delete

$ sudo apt-get install secure-delete

srm

Secure remove; used for deleting files or directories currently on your hard disk;

smem

Secure memory wiper; used to wipe traces of data from your computer’s memory (RAM);

sfill

Secure free space wiper; used to wipe all traces of data from the free space on your disk;

sswap

Secure swap wiper; used to wipe all traces of data from your swap partition.