[Wolves] data removal procedures advice

[s parkes]

>From: Jono Bacon <jonobacon@yahoo.com>
>Reply-To: wolves@mailman.lug.org.uk
>To: wolves@mailman.lug.org.uk
>Subject: Re: [Wolves] data removal procedures advice
>Date: Mon, 31 Mar 2003 05:25:02 -0800 (PST)
>
>--- Steve <info@a2rt.org> wrote:
> > hello all
> >
> > We have a possible donation of kit arranged, and the
> > person concerned wants to know about
> > procedures for removing data, and whether they get a
> > certificate for this.
> >
> > I would like to give them a post-it note with 'fdisk
> > /dev/hda' written on it, but i think that
> > more may be required. hmmm.Will we need to use
> > something other than the standard partition
> > tools?
>
>It seems to me that it should be just a
>straightforward format of the current partitions; be
>they Linux/Windows or whatever. A format will remove
>*all* data. (just waiting for some smartarse to prove
>me wrong and tell me that format will actually leave
>your important credit card numbers on your PC for
>theives).

Smartarse ;-)

fdisk deletes the partitions and format formats them for use.  But data that 
has only been written over a couple of times can not be considered deleted.  
The quick formating of discs used in linux doesn't touch most of the disk. 
Using your technique the majority of the data is not written over at all 
just forgotten where it is.

using a technique called magnetic force microsopy anyone with access to the 
correct equipment can see at least the last two or three things on the 
harddrive.  It's how so many perverts are being convicted and why trials are 
so long after initial arrests.  see 
http://www.ntmdt.ru/applicationnotes/MFM/ for a run down

http://csrc.nist.gov/fasp/FASPDocs/authorize-process/d520028p.pdf
covers (hidden in the government shite) the standards for deletion at are 
considered secure by the US military.

I personally feel that the US government guidelines suggest the limits of 
the technology the NSA et al are currently using.

Jono your important credit card numbers are still on your hard drive for 
thieves but I would be more worried if the government was interested in your 
equipment than petty thieves.

sparkes - wondering if he has beaten everyone else to the smartarse title


_________________________________________________________________
Use MSN Messenger to send music and pics to your friends 
http://www.msn.co.uk/messenger