Peoples' private information needs to stay private, even after it has been erased. Wait a minute, after it's been erased?
Have you ever given away an old computer or diskette, deleting the files off it, or giving it a quick format to make sure your information is gone? That might not be enough to stop some one from easily recovering the information!
When you delete a file, normally the operating system and file system say, "ok the file is gone!" but at the physical level the information is still there. If you were to run a recovery program you would be able to see information that you have deleted.
In order to get rid of old data you actually need to write over that same physical location on the hard drive several times to make sure it is gone, or at least much harder to recover. The standard for most government agencies is to do a seven pass wipe. That means that the hard drive will be written over with various sequences and random data seven time to be considered clean.
There are many end user applications that can assist you by wiping data as you delete it multiple times, however it will slow down your system significantly if you are deleting large amounts of data. For the average home user I wouldn't suggest wiping your deleted items more than three or four times, unless you are really worried about the information being recovered.
If you plan on wiping away the entire computer there is some applications that you can use that run from a boot diskette that will allow you to wipe the entire hard drive from start to finish. This process takes several hours, usually left as an "all nighter." (One of those programs you start before you go to sleep!)
You may be thinking, this is great for writeable media, but what about one-write media, such as CD's, DVD's and things like that? Stores sell pretty cool CD shredders, or machines that will indent the media with little holes or pock marks that make it unreadable. But my personal favorite (Do not do this, it's probably dangerous, and will be bad for the unit) is to put CD/DVD media in the microwave for two seconds. It makes the media in to this really cool spider web sort of cracked design that I like to hang on my pin board. As I mentioned, you shouldn't do this method, it's probably really bad for the microwave and might send some bad wave lengths through the room in to your brain, and it will make your microwave smell bad. You have been warned.
The final problem you might have is with hard drives that have failed, often they die at a random time, with whatever information you had on it. You don't just want to throw it in the trash, just in case someone gets creative and tries to recover the information. I highly suggest that you either disassemble it nicely with torques screw drivers (most of them use torques), and trash the plates inside, or be create in how to smash the entire drive until it's broken and flat. If you do decide to dissect it gracefully, the magnets inside are super strong and are great for hanging calendars and heavier items from metal cabinets.
Data security and privacy is such an important topic, always treat your media appropriately as to reduce your risk of passing on private information mistakenly!
Ken Dennis
http://kendennis-rss.homeip.net
That desk in front of you and everything else around... Read More
On 21 August 2003 Symantec Security Response upgraded the W32.SOBIG.F... Read More
1. Before sitting down for coding, you must have formal... Read More
The basic language of the internet is html. If you... Read More
Do you use Windows standard uninstall feature? How do you... Read More
You use Ctrl+Alt+Del to see what's running on your PC,... Read More
If you've been kicking around the idea of building your... Read More
When I first started studying for my CCNP, some of... Read More
You have your television and home theater receiver; you just... Read More
Ad Blocking is getting to be a common sport on... Read More
1. Let your PC boot up completely before opening any... Read More
How familiar does the following sound? Your computer was working... Read More
Lost & Found for the 21st CenturyIn today's hectic world... Read More
If you're like me, you occasionally find the ubiquitous mouse... Read More
Step 1:Open WinRAR and browse to the folder with your... Read More
CCNAs and CCNA candidates hear it all the time: ???Get... Read More
How long do you think DVDs have around? 20 years?... Read More
This is not your typical lost data story. I was... Read More
Tip #1 -- Rebates: A rebate is not always a... Read More
In the first part of this home lab tutorial, CCNA... Read More
Peoples' private information needs to stay private, even after it... Read More
So I'll start from the very beginning.One day I was... Read More
The following practice, if done regularly, may help you to... Read More
Sometimes your PC will start acting strange for no apparent... Read More
I recently got an e-mail asking about virtual memory. The... Read More
green cleaning service Park Ridge ..When you turn on your computer, does it act like... Read More
Millions have enjoyed recorded music since 1877 when Thomas Edison... Read More
For those seeking to buy their first flat panel TV... Read More
Selecting a TV isn't as easy as it used to... Read More
With the new technology used to transfer information to from... Read More
The Internet can be a dangerous place.While you're enjoying the... Read More
So I'll start from the very beginning.One day I was... Read More
Simone is exasperated. She has to work on her university... Read More
After another security hole recently surfaced in Microsoft's Windows operating... Read More
PDA Medical BenefitsIf you are concerned about your medical history,... Read More
About mail-mergingMail-merging is the process of merging variable data and... Read More
So you've got some spyware, ad-ware, or viruses on your... Read More
The Internet is an awesome tool, but be careful and... Read More
Plenty! When we made the decision to be our own... Read More
If you're a computer expert, you'll probably already know about... Read More
You probably heard of the new Firefox browser version 1.0... Read More
Plasma and LCD TVs are the latest trend in home... Read More
The following practice, if done regularly, may help you to... Read More
Has This Ever Happened To You? OK.. it's Friday night,... Read More
With their solid-state technology, compact size, and abundant memory, portable... Read More
The technological horizon has always got something new to offer,... Read More
On 21 August 2003 Symantec Security Response upgraded the W32.SOBIG.F... Read More
Do you remember the old saw about how computers would... Read More
Getting started with video editing is very simple you only... Read More
With the bewildering number of digital cameras on the market,... Read More
Personal Technology |