[Nottingham] Secure deletion of files

[Martin]

David Aldred wrote:
> A question arising from a discussion at work: how secure is deletion of files 
> in Linux?  
> 
> Specifically, if I'm working on something for my employer using my own PC, and 
> need it completely deleted and irrecoverable afterwards, can I do that?

Use "shred".

> And is there any way of doing it retrospectively, if I were to forget at the 
> time and simply delete the file in the usual way?

Yes if you can find the inode and relink it and then shred it. Might be 
easier just to tar everything else elsewhere, wipe the disk with "dd", 
and then tar the other stuff back.

(Check with "tar -d" at each step! :O )


But then, if you're that paranoid, you should be using an encrypted fs 
in the forst place!

And if the FBI are after you, then the only way is to nuke the disk in a 
  Very Hot Furnace to complete meltdown!


Good luck,
Martin

-- 
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Martin Lomas
martin at ml1.co.uk
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