Data Destruction Software

[spiderspider]

Can anyone recommend a good, high quality, data destruction programme.

For example, I'm after something that can purge or delete a HDD (Or similar), in not only a good time, but also to a high standard.

I have no interest in CCleaner or similar, as I'm really after a professional solution, for the destruction on data on devices. Its been a few years since I last needed anything like this, and the old programmes I used, haven't been updated. CCleaner is to slow, and doesn't do enough for my needs

I'm not after a list of free programmes, but want something that's the mutts nuts. PM me if you don't want to say anything here.

Thanks

 

[sdsinc]

There is the shred command in Linux, that can do single files or whole partition, as many passes as you want. Speed: depends on how thorough you want the wipe to be

You can run Linux off a live disk too...

 

[monaghan]

If you don't want to re-use the HDD, I generally suggest people reformat and then break open HDD case.

If you want to reuse, then shred from a live Linux CD would do the trick, specify the file as the whole disk (/dev/hda or /dev/sda or other)

 

[chrisduggan]

I use http://www.whitecanyon.com/whitecanyon-home-consumer

I have also used

http://www.blancco.com/en/technology-solutions/secure-data-erasure/live-erasure-environment/file

 

[nick-harper]

Boot and nuke does it

 

[spiderspider]

There is the shred command in Linux, that can do single files or whole partition, as many passes as you want. Speed: depends on how thorough you want the wipe to be

You can run Linux off a live disk too...

If you don't want to re-use the HDD, I generally suggest people reformat and then break open HDD case.

If you want to reuse, then shred from a live Linux CD would do the trick, specify the file as the whole disk (/dev/hda or /dev/sda or other)

Thanks, but that's not good enough for our needs. Any HDDs that fail a test will be destroyed (ie taken apart for individual parts, as we have T11 cert)

I use http://www.whitecanyon.com/whitecanyon-home-consumer

I have also used

http://www.blancco.com/en/technology-solutions/secure-data-erasure/live-erasure-environment/file

Thanks. WhiteCanyon and Blancco seem to be the closest to what we need, and I like the fact that they provide certification. I have looked at these before, but I'm not to keen on the licensing for them. Is there anything else half as good as them, offering as many features, and approved and accredited?

 

[monaghan]

The alternative is an acid bath That's how we used to get rid of old government classified mini-computer hard disks 20 odd years ago!

 

[spiderspider]

The alternative is an acid bath That's how we used to get rid of old government classified mini-computer hard disks 20 odd years ago!

LOL yeah, thats a good idea

Think we may have it solved now. We can run SecureErase from an approved application, on site, and then use WhiteCanyon at base for the certification. That seems to meet all the requirements.

 

[Edwin]

(If you don't need to re-use the drives...)

Open the HDDs, take out the platters, put them in a very thick bag (something that can't easily be pierced), smash bag with a hammer numerous times, spread the resultant debris across various bin bags (suitably wrapped to avoid injury to the bin collectors). Job done.

 

[spiderspider]

(If you don't need to re-use the drives...)

Open the HDDs, take out the platters, put them in a very thick bag (something that can't easily be pierced), smash bag with a hammer numerous times, spread the resultant debris across various bin bags (suitably wrapped to avoid injury to the bin collectors). Job done.

I would love to be able to do that. However, this is a commercial operation, and the Environment agency wouldn't be best pleased with us if we did that

 

[ian]

Microwave? May damage the microwave over time, but will certainly destroy the hard drive

 

[Edwin]

I would love to be able to do that. However, this is a commercial operation, and the Environment agency wouldn't be best pleased with us if we did that

There are also companies you can call in who will "shred" the HDDs (literally) if you have large quantities of drives to dispose of. They are likely to use a machine something like http://www.the-shredder-warehouse.com/hsm-hds230single

Or again if the number of drives warrants the investment, perhaps look into a machine like http://www.shreddingmachines.co.uk/shredders.asp?id=1437&cat=IDEAL-0101-HDP-Shredder which will punch a massive hole through the drive and make it utterly unsalvageable.

 

[spiderspider]

We can shred drives ourselves, but prefer to dismantle as we get a quantity that warrants it.

The reason why I started this thread is as we have a new client who wants the data destroyed on site, before we transport and destroy / reuse at our premises. So unless anyone knows of anything other than WhiteCanyon or Blancco that is approved for data destruction and offers guarantees, I think this thread can be closed

 

[illtemper]

You need to write 0's to the drive for several passes. With Windows 8 up you can do it with: Format "H:" "/P:7"

Without quote marks. Where "H:" is the drive and "/P:7" is the number of passes. 1 Pass is enough depending on how sensitive the data is otherwise 3 commercial. 7 for the paranoid or 35 if your crazy.

In IT Security we would suggest DBAn, if you insist on GUI and for some reason don't like using the command line then AFAIK Microsoft suggest: Active Killdisk

 

[namealot]

Cant you use either Degausser , Erasure, Destroyer etc dependent on client requirements specifications Compliance & Regulations etc Plenty do ?

http://www.garnerproducts.com/

 

[baldidiot]

I use Active Killdisk, seems to do the job although I've never really dug into it too deeply, other than a quick attempt at recovering data.

They claim to meet 20 standards for destroying data:

"Active@ KillDisk conforms to more than twenty international standards for
clearing and sanitizing data (US DoD 5220.22-M, Gutmann and others)."

 

[spiderspider]

Cant you use either Degausser , Erasure, Destroyer etc dependent on client requirements specifications Compliance & Regulations etc Plenty do ?

http://www.garnerproducts.com/

We have a portable degausser. Its brilliant But when we put HDDs through it, the're buggered for life. No point in keeping them anymore. We use the degausser more for HDDs that won't power up.

I would always use the degausser, or shredder, but we have to 'reuse' and companies have it in their environmental policies that reuse where ever possible is their aim.

We found a different software, not so far mentioned thats CESG approved, so we are now sorted