data shredder

[Ray Leventhal]

Franz Waldmüller wrote:
> jesse stephen schrieb:
>> I'm looking for a data shredder for ubuntu 9.10
>>
>>
> if you want to delete entire harddisks take a look at dban:
> 
> http://www.dban.org/
> 
> About DBAN
> Darik's Boot and Nuke ("DBAN") is a self-contained boot disk that 
> securely wipes the hard disks of most computers. DBAN will automatically 
> and completely delete the contents of any hard disk that it can detect, 
> which makes it an appropriate utility for bulk or emergency data 
> destruction.
> 
> This tool is not suited to delete single files!
> 
> Take care with your data deletion. The useful commands provided by the 
> other posters are quite dangerous (if you don't know what you are doing).
> 
> 
> Franz
> 
The problem with software data eradication is that it can be 
interrupted.  That is why the NIST 'purge' standard calls for the 
'firmware of the drive' to handle the data purging.  If interrupted, it 
must complete before the drive is able to be used.  Examples include ATA 
Security Erase.

Drives subjected to overwriting by DBAN or other software have been sent 
to the data recovery company at which I work.  The drive defect list is 
never touched, nor are sectors that the software cannot see.  Hardware 
based eradication is, by far, the safest way to ensure data is 
gone...short of physically shredding.

Just another .02 on the pile

HTH,
-Ray