Originally published December 1 2005
Proper data destruction is the key to privacy of digital information
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Normal deletion methods like using the Recycle Bin or deleting something only create the illusion of deletion. To securely eliminate data, you can use U.S.B. flash drives and other storage methods to overwrite data to make it unrecoverable.
Maintaining privacy in the era of digital information requires work on a number of fronts, whether fending off spyware, protecting important files with encryption or configuring a Wi-Fi hot spot to keep interlopers off a wireless network.
Deleting confidential data completely is essential when donating or selling old computers, and it can also help maintain privacy on computers that may end up lost or stolen.
When normal deletion methods like the Recycle Bin or the delete command are used, the computer's operating system, for the sake of speed, creates an illusion that data has been deleted.
Until that overwriting occurs, the old data can be retrieved with undelete programs and tools used by data recovery labs and law enforcement agencies.
These programs overwrite data with meaningless characters to render it unrecoverable with today's data recovery techniques.
Some of the programs can overwrite entire drives, while others can single out individual files or other information saved by a computer's operating system or programs like Web browsers.
Shredding machines that can destroy diskettes, CD's and DVD's are also available.
Several programs are available to overwrite entire hard disks.
It runs on Windows computers and offers six methods to overwrite data, including a Defense Department standard (DoD 5220.22-M) that can overwrite the disk three times, as well as a method called PRNG Stream Wipe, which can make a user-defined number of disk overwrites using randomly generated characters.
According to its author, Darik Horn, the program's coding can be scrutinized by anyone, which can help assure reliability.
It offers 12 overwriting methods, including the Defense Department standard with three overwrites, although the company's president and chief executive, Steve Elderkin, said methods that use a single pass are almost always enough to render data unrecoverable.
Maintaining privacy in the era of digital information requires work on a number of fronts, whether fending off spyware, protecting important files with encryption or configuring a Wi-Fi hot spot to keep interlopers off a wireless network.
Deleting confidential data completely is essential when donating or selling old computers, and it can also help maintain privacy on computers that may end up lost or stolen.
When normal deletion methods like the Recycle Bin or the delete command are used, the computer's operating system, for the sake of speed, creates an illusion that data has been deleted.
Until that overwriting occurs, the old data can be retrieved with undelete programs and tools used by data recovery labs and law enforcement agencies.
These programs overwrite data with meaningless characters to render it unrecoverable with today's data recovery techniques.
Some of the programs can overwrite entire drives, while others can single out individual files or other information saved by a computer's operating system or programs like Web browsers.
Shredding machines that can destroy diskettes, CD's and DVD's are also available.
Several programs are available to overwrite entire hard disks.
It runs on Windows computers and offers six methods to overwrite data, including a Defense Department standard (DoD 5220.22-M) that can overwrite the disk three times, as well as a method called PRNG Stream Wipe, which can make a user-defined number of disk overwrites using randomly generated characters.
According to its author, Darik Horn, the program's coding can be scrutinized by anyone, which can help assure reliability.
It offers 12 overwriting methods, including the Defense Department standard with three overwrites, although the company's president and chief executive, Steve Elderkin, said methods that use a single pass are almost always enough to render data unrecoverable.
All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing LLC takes sole responsibility for all content. Truth Publishing sells no hard products and earns no money from the recommendation of products. NaturalNews.com is presented for educational and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice from any licensed practitioner. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. For the full terms of usage of this material, visit www.NaturalNews.com/terms.shtml