Decent scrub ware.

[Jin]

Recently upgraded work servers and client machines we have found buyers in the local area for our old machines because times are hard and we could do with the money however I need to scrub the HDD clean of a lot of very sensitive personal data which includes 12,000 staff members bank details and 40 company bank accounts.

Anyone know of any free or "free" scrub wear that is up to the task?

I don't fancy destroying the HDD as combined they add up to 7TB of storage space which we would probably feel in our pockets.

[DaveTaylor]

Recently upgraded work servers and client machines we have found buyers in the local area for our old machines because times are hard and we could do with the money however I need to scrub the HDD clean of a lot of very sensitive personal data which includes 12,000 staff members bank details and 40 company bank accounts.

Anyone know of any free or "free" scrub wear that is up to the task?

I don't fancy destroying the HDD as combined they add up to 7TB of storage space which we would probably feel in our pockets.

It's difficult as even after you use certain programs it can still be found due to the fact that the information is there til it's written over. To be honest the best way to securely remove any information would be, format the drive in a different format to the original, then install a OS and then reformat.

[N!ck]

If you have time then try Darik's Boot And Nuke. It's the best, but takes a long time.
http://www.dban.org/

[Jin]

It's difficult as even after you use certain programs it can still be found due to the fact that the information is there til it's written over. To be honest the best way to securely remove any information would be, format the drive in a different format to the original, then install a OS and then reformat.

I don't agree dave otherwise that would be consider as a normal deletion as it would just delete the block address from the table like hitting the delete button does.

I thought scrubware takes the normal data and then just modifies it using an algorithm changing the entire binary string to a random sequence of 0's and 1's thus making the data irretrievable.

[N!ck]

I don't agree dave otherwise that would be consider as a normal deletion would it not because it would just delete the block location from the table.

I thought scrubware takes the normal data and then just modifies it using an algorithm changing the entire binary string to a random sequence of 0's and 1's thus making the data irretrievable.

In theory, data is pretty much always retrievable while the drive is in tact. The only way would be to take a hammer to the drive until it's dust and then sprinkle them slowly in the Atlantic ocean as you cruise across to America.

[DaveTaylor]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8036324.stm evidence it happens Jin :)

[Jin]

In theory, data is pretty much always retrievable while the drive is in tact. The only way would be to take a hammer to the drive until it's dust and then sprinkle them slowly in the Atlantic ocean as you cruise across to America.


Still have to disagree here, decent data shredders will use the block location to overwrite the data in that block several times thus overwriting the file they can also overwrite the metadata associated with the file in the same way so you don't even know when the original file was created, names, modified etc.

Even the most sophisticated retrieval software could not retrieve data from that as it would have no way of being able to piece the data together. Decent shredders purge the data, once data is purged it can not be retrieved in anyway shape or form not even with special techniques.

[N!ck]

Still have to disagree here, decent data shredders will use the block location to overwrite the data in that block several times thus overwriting the file they can also overwrite the metadata associated with the file in the same way so you don't even know when the original file was created, names, modified etc.

Even the most sophisticated retrieval software could not retrieve data from that as it would have no way of being able to piece the data together. Decent shredders purge the data, once data is purged it can not be retrieved in anyway shape or form not even with special techniques.

Forensic science. If it's too far gone for software to pick up there's always labs and microscopes.

Anyway, look at DBAN, I think it's just what you're after.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darik's_Boot_and_Nuke
http://www.dban.org/

[Stephen!]

If you ask me, the risk is too high. Even if times are hard, if that data gets recovered, they are about to get a lot harder.

[Jin]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8036324.stm evidence it happens Jin :)

No. Where in that did it say they purged the data first? That is more than likely data remanence from where they cleared the hard drive.

I am sorry but I have read so many uni papers in the last month or so as my computer science buddies have a 50% assignment on the topic and the facts are clear purged data can not be retrieved.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_remanence
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_erasure#Number_of_overwrites_needed
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/free-file-shredders-to-make-deleted-files-unrecoverable/

[Agnostic Bear]

Just run a single 0-out pass, no data recovery company will accept it as they can't do anything to get the data back.

[Jahova]

DBAN, I have used it before to completely wipe my old PC's HDD. It took a long time, and I mean it, but it worked and seemed to be a good program.

[Recursion]

Just use DBAN or something to wipe the drive over a few times with 0s. Personally for my mum's lower school I never get rid of the drives, I always take them and find a use for them, that way only I can access them, they have data overwriting the old stuff and are formatted a number of times.

[Tomm]

I recommend you do it more than once. Using techniques such as Magnetic Force Microscopy (MFM) you can find out the previous values (possible to recover more than just the previous value as well) of bits on the hard drive, although this is really limited to Intelligence Agencies and hundreds of thousands pounds data recovery. So you may think you are safe just overwriting it once or twice directly on the blocks on the hard drive, but you are not. However, in reality I doubt someone would go to those lengths due to the VERY high costs.

[Agnostic Bear]

Just run a single 0-out pass, no data recovery company will accept it as they can't do anything to get the data back.

I will say this again, a single 0-out pass is all that is needed, everyone else giving all these "multiple pass oh god they will check deep" are idiots, a 0-out pass is all that is needed, no company will take a 0-out drive, it's simply not gonna happen no matter how much money you have or however many government agencies are snooping about after your precious illegal mp3s.