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Operating Systems => Linux and UNIX => Topic started by: solarismka on 12 September 2003, 03:34

Title: hard disk wiping?
Post by: solarismka on 12 September 2003, 03:34

I was wondering if there is a program out there that can wipe the free space in linux, including the swap space?

I googled but all i've found are programs that erase a file and/or directory not free space.

Any help would be great!  :D

Title: hard disk wiping?
Post by: flap on 12 September 2003, 04:15

You want to wipe all the space unoccupied by files? That seems like an odd thing to want to do, and I don't know of anything you could use to do it. I suppose you could create large random files to fill the remaining space on your disk and then delete them.

[ September 11, 2003: Message edited by: flap ]

Title: hard disk wiping?
Post by: Faust on 12 September 2003, 04:27

Try searching freshmeat.  I also know theres a program in Windows called Eraser that can do this - it's covered by the GPL so there may be a port.

Title: hard disk wiping?
Post by: insomnia on 12 September 2003, 04:45

If you mean shrinking your linux file system:
Try Diskdrake. Just make a bootable floppy from Mandrake and include Diskdrake (as far as I know the best partitionning program).

[ September 11, 2003: Message edited by: insomnia ]

Title: hard disk wiping?
Post by: Faust on 12 September 2003, 04:52

I'm pretty sure he doesnt, he means wiping.  Writing random 1's and 0's over the free space to ensure it cant be read by anyone with "recovery" equipment (like the fuzz, or people interested in getting medical records off hard drives etcetera...)

Title: hard disk wiping?
Post by: flap on 12 September 2003, 05:01

I'd have thought the best thing to do if he wants security is to reformat his drive and use an encrypting file system.

Title: hard disk wiping?
Post by: Faust on 12 September 2003, 05:05

That would be good too...  The encrypted fs howto seems to suggest a kernel recompile is usually required though which may be a bit too techy.  A wiping program would just be something where you click "erase" or whatever.  Also the fuzz / mafia might manage to beat his key phrase out of him, with wiping he cant sell out the revolution even if he wants too.   :D   However encyrption would write onto the drive as much as normal, whereas wiping would overwrite each file 7-35 times so that may cause more wear and tear...  Also of course with encryption you dont have to delete a fil to secure it.  Why do you need this level of security anyway?

Title: hard disk wiping?
Post by: solarismka on 12 September 2003, 07:16

Wow!  I didn't expect that many responses.     (http://smile.gif)  

Well as far a security is conserned, i am a bit paranoid.  Thats why I moved everything from my Wintel box to my linux box as my main workstation.

Eraser seems to be the best fit so i'm gonna google to see if its avilable.

Oh and yes I do want to wipe the free space.  If you delete a file it can be recovered using special software.  This way the file cannot be recovered.  So if you deleted a hole bunch of files the normal way, get a disk wiper so those files are more secure and truly are gone and not just moved to an alocated table ready to be overwriten in the future if needed but not right now kinda deal.

Thanx for the help guys!   :D      (http://smile.gif)      (http://smile.gif)      (http://smile.gif)

[ September 11, 2003: Message edited by: -=Solaris.M.K.A=- ]

Title: hard disk wiping?
Post by: Faust on 12 September 2003, 08:03

Special software can get it in some cases, but when it gets so bad that software cant pick it up you can even rip out the platters and go over it with special hardware.  (which is expensive.)  It's amazing how much data can even be read off a hard drive which has been formatted, then put in an open fire, then beat up with a sledgehammer.  Also remember that if the files arent erased (ie if backups are kept elsewhere) then they can be just read as normal, and people can read "recent documents" folders and of course Windows indexing service as well - not a problem with GNU/Linux or BSD obviously.  The encrypted filesystem suggestion of Flaps is good if you want to go the whole hog.  If you can dl the encryption from inside the US so much the better...  Also bear in mind that wiping a whole hard drive or all its free space in Erasers "most secure" setting is ssllooww as it overwrites the space 35 times.

Title: hard disk wiping?
Post by: flap on 12 September 2003, 14:36

Also, you'd theoretically have to run whatever you'd decided to use very regularly, assuming files were being deleted normally and not being shredded. If you're bothered enough to do that you should just reformat and use an encrypting fs. Of course, the other advantage there is that the files you haven't deleted, in addition to the ones you have, are also secure.