"the easiest way" ... not quite
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| Author | Content | ||||
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| techiem2 May 30, 2008 8:16 AM EST |
Like others already mentioned in the comments on the article, I find dban from a livecd (SystemRescueCD of course for me) to be quite easy. |
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| azerthoth May 30, 2008 9:43 AM EST |
boot LiveCD shred -fuz |
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| vainrveenr May 30, 2008 9:52 AM EST |
Chad Files writes
wipe', 'dban' and also the GNU coreutils' 'shred' would be top choices here for securely wiping data, and in a fashion "short of melting the drive". Peter Gutmann in his technical paper 'Secure Deletion of Data from Magnetic and Solid-State Memory' found at [HYPERLINK@www.cs.auckland.ac.nz] goes into some detail why and how secure deletion can occur. His paper is well-worth reading and the recommendations therein certainly apply for both 'wipe', 'dban' and 'shred'. Basically, the secure file deletion Gutmann recommends for whichever utility is used -- and similar to Chad Files quote above -- involves random data written many, many times over a hard drive until a point is reached at which, as Gutmann specifically writes
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| jhansonxi May 30, 2008 11:31 AM EST |
Thermite | ||||
| azerthoth May 30, 2008 11:56 AM EST |
easy to make and when mixed with play-doh is very moldable, so you can put it where ever you want to ensure proper destruction. | ||||
| techiem2 May 30, 2008 12:02 PM EST |
On the same kind of topic, is there an easy way to shred a directory in linux when you want to get rid of that sensitive data you needed but don't need on the machine anymore but don't want to shred the whole disk? | ||||
| azerthoth May 30, 2008 12:08 PM EST |
shred can do individual files as well. go into the directory and 'shred -fuz *' and it will clear that directory. default is a 25 pass randomizer, the -z makes the last write all 0's and the -u is remove. | ||||
| techiem2 May 30, 2008 12:38 PM EST |
Ah cool. I'll try that next time I need to nuke a sensitive dir (working at a college sometimes I need to carry around info that should really be shredded when I'm done with it). |
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| jdixon May 30, 2008 12:40 PM EST |
> I find dban from a livecd (SystemRescueCD of course for me) to be quite easy. For wiping a whole disk, dban is the cat's meow. The only better method I've found is using the drive for target practice with a good rifle. |
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| alc May 30, 2008 1:19 PM EST |
"The only better method I've found is using the drive for target practice with a good rifle." Not only better,but lots more fun. |
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| Bob_Robertson May 31, 2008 1:04 PM EST |
> The only better method I've found is using the drive for target practice with a good rifle. Or a bad rifle. I've got an SKS that has trouble hitting an NRA standard target at 200 yards. Not the bulls-eye, the _target_ itself. I put up a sheet of plywood at about 20 yards once, with a sheet of white paper stapled to it to see what was going on. There was a perfect profile of a boat-tailed bullet in the paper, so the slugs are tumbling out. Haven't shot it since. But oh boy what it would do to disk platters at 10 yards! |
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| azerthoth May 31, 2008 1:20 PM EST |
Bob I have a Smith&Wesson 500 (.50 cal magnum handgun for the unitiated) and a bad HD you could try it out on if you should ever find yourself in my area. Doubtful being that I live on the west coast of Alaska, but even so, it would be interesting to see what a 440 gr slug would do to an old 40 gig HD. [HYPERLINK@azerthoth.blogspot.com] |
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| Bob_Robertson May 31, 2008 2:56 PM EST |
Oooo! The author of _Unintended Consequences_ (great book) makes custom S&W500's. [HYPERLINK@john-ross.net] Of course, I have no money. This issue of The Libertarian Enterprise might be of interest: [HYPERLINK@www.ncc-1776.org] |
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| dinotrac May 31, 2008 4:57 PM EST |
You guys .... I'm worried that some do-gooder may try to protect innocent hard drives from your mischief. I think we need an amendement to the Constitution protecting your right to own guns... Oh, wait!!!! |
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| Bob_Robertson Jun 01, 2008 12:50 AM EST |
Constitution schmonstitution. You put something like that in writing, folks will start to think the paper grants them permission. Permission that can then be taken away. Oh, wait!!!! ------ But seriously, all the right to "own" in the world doesn't mean squat if I can't actually shoot the darned thing. "Noise" ordinances... I'll show them the meaning of "ordnance".... |
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| azerthoth Jun 01, 2008 7:38 AM EST |
chuckle |
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| dinotrac Jun 01, 2008 9:55 AM EST |
>I'll show them the meaning of "ordnance".... Careful, you don't want to give them ammunition. |
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| azerthoth Jun 01, 2008 12:49 PM EST |
Why not? Brass and gunpowder might be considered closed source, but the lead surely is open source and should be shared ... rapidly. | ||||
| gus3 Jun 01, 2008 4:45 PM EST |
[HYPERLINK@www.lyricsmode.com] | ||||
| Scott_Ruecker Jun 01, 2008 4:57 PM EST |
Is this thread really about guns? Because if it is..its on the wrong website.. |
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| jdixon Jun 01, 2008 5:26 PM EST |
> hIs this thread really about guns? Only in reference to destroying data on hard drives, Scott. :) |
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| gus3 Jun 01, 2008 7:23 PM EST |
And even if it isn't the easiest way... it sher is fun! ;-) ;-) | ||||
| helios Jun 02, 2008 4:08 AM EST |
And for your information, my distro of choice is called weatherby 460. Once I became a Mac Bolan Fan, I HAD to have one.... Uh, linux distro Weatherby 460 that is. h |
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| azerthoth Jun 02, 2008 9:35 PM EST |
Funny, we have at work an annual requirement for computer/data security training. Because some of the stuff is classified material, and we are allowed to move it around on thumb drives. Once a thumbdrive that has been used to transport classified data is no longer needed (i.e. the designated classified thumbdrive that is otherwise kept locked up) it must be destroyed. When I asked the boss if I could whip up a small batch of thermite for said destruction he asked for the recipe. I don't think I'll mention my $2.99 recipe for contact explosives to him. See Scott, off of guns, back to the really destructive stuff. Ah, the wonders of having a father who was Special Forces. |
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| Bob_Robertson Jun 03, 2008 5:21 PM EST |
Wow. Isn't State Securitad..., I mean Homeland inSecurity, making that kind of stuff difficult to get through the chemical supply companies? I discovered in my youthful experimentation that home-made black powder does really interesting things if you add too much sulphur... That $2.99 recipe is something I would really like to know. Oh well. Hey, if heat destroys magnetism (highschool physics taught me something, I guess), how about just throwing the disk drives into a wood fire for a few hours? The Yule Log could do double duty. |
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| Scott_Ruecker Jun 03, 2008 6:01 PM EST |
Blowing up hard drives.. I have to admit, sounds like a good time. All we need is a few beers and then we would be blowing each other up. LOL!! |
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| tuxchick Jun 03, 2008 6:10 PM EST |
Finally you'll get to use my favorite epitaph: "Hey, watch this!" |
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