Securely Delete Files on your Computer

here are times when you really want to make sure a file on your computer is deleted and can't be recovered by a PC expert, I am sure I don't have to preach about how it is really important these days to 'securely delete' your files.

Remember your files with any financial records or personal information can of course lead you to being ripped off by a ID fraud type criminal. If such criminals can undelete files on your hard drive and access the content then your security has been badly compromised. Also when you sell a computer, give an old computer to someone or indeed dispose of it, its important to securely delete all your data. There are BOOT CD's like DBAN which can dlete everything from a computers hard disk, however the best mother is to have the physical disk crushed by an expert company

Anyone these days can be a dleted file receovery expert, there are free utilities for windows like "Recuva", which can restore nearly any file that has not been 'securely deleted', thus anyone can be a instant expert with one google search......Dangerous i am sure you will agree.......However secure deletion is pretty easy to use. (Also i would encourage you to use recuva as way of getting files back that have been non securely deleted in error -- see here www.piriform.com/recuv )

What is secure deletion?

A clever professor has worked out a way deleting a file securely from a computers hard disk using a a technique that overwrites the data over 30 times with random bit patterns. see here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gutmann_method

Also take caution when using these secure delete programs as once the file is SECURELY DELETED its GONE FOR GOOD. No good calling me and asking me to perform some IT magic as the file is REALLY DELETED FOREVER

WINDOWS XP/VISTA/7 USERS

The free windows deletion utility "ERASER" implements this GUTTMAN technique and is the ONLY way of making sure deleted files are REALLY deleted forever on Windows......download and install from the link below and make sure you turn on GUTTMAN deletion from the options.

You can right click on a file and ERASE it securely, you can also do this with the Windows Trashcan, where deleted files are stored for recovery (its the icon like a dustbin on your desktop.

You should note that if you are deleting a lot of files at once it can take a long time, i had to securely delete on a Linux system 16 gig (4 DVD's worth) of data and it took over 24 hours. However for single files and anything under 1 gig ERASER is quick enough.

Website & Download for Eraser

http://eraser.heidi.ie

MAC USERS

For mac users , you need to CAREFULLY follow this guide from Apple on secure deletion

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.4/en/mh475.html

LINUX USERS

To delete from the Linux command line Install the 'secure delete' package from your Linux vendor, this gives you a command line utility "SRM" or in some cases "shred" or "wipe"

To securely delete from the GNOME GUI follow this guide below

http://www.webupd8.org/2009/09/delete-files-securely-in-nautilus-linux.html

To securely delete from the KDE GUI follow this guide below

http://www.kde-apps.org/content/show.php/Secure+Delete+Servicemenu?content=75734

Hope this helps you out in some way.