From your favorite shell:
dd if=/dev/zero of=file && rm -f file
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From your favorite shell:
dd if=/dev/zero of=file && rm -f file
as far as i am aware, the FBI has technology to retrieve data from multiple over writes (like up to 20). unless the hard drive is burned up (like in a fire) or formatted a ton of times, it is hard to keep them from being able to retrieve the data. even after a hard drive has been in a fire, it can be retrieved. for maximum security, you should set up a fire bomb in your puter, so that if it is not reset before opening the side of the pc, the insides burst into flames thus making the data unretrievable...
lol... actually that could be done if you are really paranoid, but i wouldn't suggest it. if you want to know how though, let me know.
You know that would take a long time, and I have posted 3 or 4 times the proper method to eliminate data off a windows machine. That is a very sensitive area in which I am always updating, and to be honest there are many companies following the exact procedures I have listed. Please review my previous posts, or send a request that I post the directions again. Sorry these steps are designed for Windows 95 and Higher. Yes also includes XP...
torching the drive is extreme, but with all of the stuff the feds and hdd manufacters have it may be the only way that you can be 100% sure of cleaning all the data.
the nsa used to recomend 7 overwrites but hey they are "THEM"
I like the encription thing there are some powerfull setups out tghere and if you want you can force them to use up some major time on one of there vaulted thinking machines
The encrytion idea would only work if the original was NEVER written to the hard disk. Also, the key could NEVER be written to the hard disk. In other words, you would need a shitpot full of RAM to even consider it.
And yes, you can pull info off a formatted drive. A quick format justs overwrites the partion table, and doesn't even touch the data. A slow format basically just checks to make sure the disk is ok and then overwrites the partion table. I have used a shareware program to basically restore a HD that was "accidently" formated. Got back about 90% of the disk...and thats shareware. Imagine what the government has.
yeah, it is almost impossible to erase data..... unless you have a prog that writes zeros over the entire drive, and does it about 20 times. other then that, there is no way to do it. other then the big ball of fire... and that is not fool proof. oh well.