"the easiest way" ... not quite
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| Author | Content |
|---|---|
| techiem2 May 30, 2008 9:16 AM EDT |
Quoting:If the target drive is installed in a working system, the easiest way to clean it is to run wipe off of a Linux live CD. 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. |
| azerthoth May 30, 2008 10:43 AM EDT |
boot LiveCD
shred -fuz |
| vainrveenr May 30, 2008 10:52 AM EDT |
Chad Files writes
Quoting:Even then there are ways, albeit difficult, to analyze the drive and extract data. The only way, short of melting the drive, to ensure the data is gone for good is to overwrite the drive several times with random data.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 http://www.cs.auckland.ac.nz/~pgut001/pubs/secure_del.html 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 Quoting: even if you've got 10KB of sensitive data on a drive and can't erase it with 100% certainty, the chances of an adversary being able to find the erased traces of that 10KB in 80GB of other erased traces are close to zero. |
| jhansonxi May 30, 2008 12:31 PM EDT |
Thermite |
| azerthoth May 30, 2008 12:56 PM EDT |
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 1:02 PM EDT |
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 1:08 PM EDT |
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 1:38 PM EDT |
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). |
| jdixon May 30, 2008 1:40 PM EDT |
> 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. |
| alc May 30, 2008 2:19 PM EDT |
"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. |
| Bob_Robertson May 31, 2008 2:04 PM EDT |
> 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! |
| azerthoth May 31, 2008 2:20 PM EDT |
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. http://azerthoth.blogspot.com/2007/07/off-topic-new-gun.html |
| Bob_Robertson May 31, 2008 3:56 PM EDT |
Oooo! The author of _Unintended Consequences_ (great book) makes custom S&W500's. http://john-ross.net/ Of course, I have no money. This issue of The Libertarian Enterprise might be of interest: http://www.ncc-1776.org/tle2008/tle467-20080511.html |
| dinotrac May 31, 2008 5:57 PM EDT |
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!!!! |
| Bob_Robertson Jun 01, 2008 1:50 AM EDT |
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".... |
| azerthoth Jun 01, 2008 8:38 AM EDT |
Quoting:I'll show them the meaning of "ordnance" chuckle |
| dinotrac Jun 01, 2008 10:55 AM EDT |
>I'll show them the meaning of "ordnance".... Careful, you don't want to give them ammunition. |
| azerthoth Jun 01, 2008 1:49 PM EDT |
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 5:45 PM EDT |
http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/l/leslie_fish/black_powder_... |
| Scott_Ruecker Jun 01, 2008 5:57 PM EDT |
Is this thread really about guns? Because if it is..its on the wrong website.. |
| jdixon Jun 01, 2008 6:26 PM EDT |
> hIs this thread really about guns? Only in reference to destroying data on hard drives, Scott. :) |
| gus3 Jun 01, 2008 8:23 PM EDT |
And even if it isn't the easiest way... it sher is fun! ;-) ;-) |
| helios Jun 02, 2008 5:08 AM EDT |
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 |
| azerthoth Jun 02, 2008 10:35 PM EDT |
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. |
| Bob_Robertson Jun 03, 2008 6:21 PM EDT |
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. |
| Scott_Ruecker Jun 03, 2008 7:01 PM EDT |
Quoting:See Scott, off of guns, back to the really destructive stuff. 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!! |
| tuxchick Jun 03, 2008 7:10 PM EDT |
Finally you'll get to use my favorite epitaph: "Hey, watch this!" |
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