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![[F]](/Images/i7/site.gif) TidBITS  TidBITS TidBITS Talk
HD program eraser for Mac?![[sashathor]](/webx/?30@@1) sashathor (apparently) - 11:14am Sep 21, 2006 PSTvia emailIs there anything like the product (below) for MacIntosh?
Thanks for any ideas.
Data Eraser
Truly deleting a file from your system isn't easy. In most cases,
files seemingly removed from a hard drive via the Recycle Bin, a disk
format, or even fdisk actually remain there until new files overwrite
them. Data Eraser erases the content of any file without its being
recoverable by a data recovery expert or, according to the maker's Web
site, "even the most hated spy agencies." The program doesn't actually
delete any files, instead it renders the file unusable and "just about
impossible to recover." The program is free, though donations are
accepted. Its developer, an Australia-based data recovery specialist,
challenges any data recovery expert to successfully recover data lost,
damaged, or deleted by Data Eraser to its original form. This could
make the software useful for everyday computer users who are concerned
about privacy, as well as for data specialists, business users, and
government agencies. Data Eraser's main drawback is its cumbersome
text/DOS-based interface. But this feature merely underscores that its
intended audience is advanced users. The program is compatible with
DOS and with Windows 98, Me, 2000, and XP.
http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file/fid,64125-order,1-page,1/description.html?tk=nl_hsxdwn
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Re: HD program eraser for Mac?
"Secure empty Trash" is a feature built into Mac OS X (at least 10.4, I don't
remember how far back it was included.)
Enjoy,
--
David McLaughlin
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Re: HD program eraser for Mac?
Plenty of utilities like this - search VersionTracker for 'secure delete.
Personally I use the 'srm' command in the terminal. You could wrap this up
in an AppleScript droplet to make it easier.
--
Barry
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Re: HD program eraser for Mac?
On Sep 21, 2006, at 11:14 AM, Hugh Munro wrote:
> Is there anything like the product (below) for MacIntosh?
>
> Thanks for any ideas.
>
> Data Eraser
A low-grade form is available in Terminal: the -P option to the rm
command. This is not DOD grade "shredding", and won't keep NSA (or,
probably, DriveSavers or the FBI) from getting the file data.
There are multiple programs available...others will announce them.
The underlying reason for the need for this is the same on Mac
(classic or X) as on Windows (and Linux, Unix).
--John
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Re: HD program eraser for Mac?
> Is there anything like the product (below) for MacIntosh?
>
> Data Eraser erases the content of any file without its being
> recoverable by a data recovery expert
"Secure Empty Trash" from the Finder's "Finder" menu is one approach.
Here's another: launch "Disk Utility" from the Applications/Utilities
folder. Choose a volume from the list on the left, select the "Erase"
tab, and click "Erase Free Space..."
GreetinX,
Jochen.
--
A Polytrope's Musings < http://www.polytropia.com/musings>
A Polytrope on Flickr < http://www.flickr.com/photos/polytropia>
Some Thoughts on Tech < http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/au/2663>
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Re: HD program eraser for Mac?
On 22/9/06 04:39, "johnbaxterlists  mac.com" <johnbaxterlists mac.com> wrote:
> A low-grade form is available in Terminal: the -P option to the rm
> command. This is not DOD grade "shredding", and won't keep NSA (or,
> probably, DriveSavers or the FBI) from getting the file data.
rm -P uses a three pass system
srm -m uses a 7 pass DoD compliant overwrite.
srm on its own uses a 35 pass overwrite!
--
Barry
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Re: HD program eraser for Mac?
For OS X DOD shredding - overwrite the file with 7 US DoD compliant passes (0xF6, 0x00, 0xFF, random, 0x00, 0xFF, random) and then zeros
in the Terminal try;- srm -frmz /path/to/file/to/delete
be warned this can take a while to complete.
srm can also delete recursively i.e. delete a whole directory.
for more info type;- man srm in the Terminal
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Re: HD program eraser for Mac?
On Sep 23, 2006, at 9:36 PM, Barry Wainwright wrote:
>> A low-grade form is available in Terminal: the -P option to the rm
>> command. This is not DOD grade "shredding", and won't keep NSA (or,
>> probably, DriveSavers or the FBI) from getting the file data.
>
> rm -P uses a three pass system
>
> srm -m uses a 7 pass DoD compliant overwrite.
>
> srm on its own uses a 35 pass overwrite!
And Disk Utility does all that too.
Kirk
Author of: How to Do Everything with Mac OS X Tiger
http://www.mcelhearn.com/htde.html
- - - - - -
Read my blog: Kirkville -- http://www.mcelhearn.com
Musings, Opinion and Miscellanea, on Macs, iPods and more
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Re: HD program eraser for Mac?
All the above tend to ensure a particular file is erased. I tend to need a non-DoD compliant way to ensure my hard disk is clean before selling computers, and so after the usual erase and setup, I do the following in the Terminal:
cat /dev/random >~/bigfile
then I just leave the machine alone until it fills the entire hard disk with random data. Then
rm ~bigfile
Repeat a few times if you're really paranoid.
There is likely still scraps of information scattered around, but this should get rid of the bulk of it.
Peter.
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Re: HD program eraser for Mac?
At 7:15 AM -0700 2006/09/27, Peter N Lewis wrote:
>All the above tend to ensure a particular file is erased. I tend to
>need a non-DoD compliant way to ensure my hard disk is clean before
>selling computers, and so after the usual erase and setup, I do the
>following in the Terminal:
>
>cat /dev/random >~/bigfile
>
>then I just leave the machine alone until it fills the entire hard
>disk with random data. Then
>
>rm ~bigfile
>
>Repeat a few times if you're really paranoid.
>
>There is likely still scraps of information scattered around, but
>this should get rid of the bulk of it.
So long as you're doing this on an empty (non-boot) device;
if you do this on a boot disk, it will still have (encrypted)
passwords on disk...
Chris
--
Chris Pepper: < http://www.reppep.com/~pepper/>
< http://www.reppep.com/weblog/pepper/>
Rockefeller University: < http://www.rockefeller.edu/>
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Re: HD program eraser for Mac?
On Sep 27, 2006, at 7:15 AM, Peter N Lewis wrote:
> All the above tend to ensure a particular file is erased. I tend to
> need a non-DoD compliant way to ensure my hard disk is clean before
> selling computers, and so after the usual erase and setup, I do the
> following in the Terminal:
>
> cat /dev/random >~/bigfile
>
> then I just leave the machine alone until it fills the entire hard
> disk with random data.
Why not just tell Disk Utility to write zeros to the drive when you
format it?
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Re: HD program eraser for Mac?
On 27 Sep 2006, at 08:15 , Peter N Lewis wrote:
> cat /dev/random >~/bigfile
>
> then I just leave the machine alone until it fills the entire hard
> disk with random data. Then
>
> rm ~bigfile
>
> Repeat a few times if you're really paranoid.
No sense in repeating, just secure erase bigfile (either through the
finder or srm)
That is a clever trick though, I'll have to remember it if I sell a
machine.. you know, ever. :)
--
Instant karma's gonna get you
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Re: HD program eraser for Mac?
For lots more on securely erasing stuff, NIST (a well-respected Federal Government agency) just released "Guidelines for Media Sanitization" http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-88/NISTSP800-88_rev1.pdf "Studies have shown that most of today’s media can be effectively cleared by one overwrite." So all the discussions about 3, 7, or 21 overwrites with various patterns are no longer relevant. Only you can decide whether you need to clear, sanitize, or destroy your hard drive, and the NIST guidelines help you decide. At home, I've used a variation on Peter N Lewis method that should be a little faster for clearing "empty" space on an operational system: $ cat /dev/zero > ~/bigfile [wait for disk to fill with zeros] $ rm ~/bigfile At work, we boot off CD or DVD and use Apple's Disk Utility to write all zeros to the hard drive, then re-install the OS, before disposing of computers. We might buy a drive crusher, since removing and crushing a drive is faster than overwriting large (250 GB+) internal drives, and we dispose of over 100 computers per year.
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