subject: Data sanitization [print this page] Data sanitization Data sanitization
Do not Format your Disk for Permanent Deletion of Data
You have formatted your old computer system before selling it. You are sure that your data is completely erased. But you are wrong. Simple formatting of a disk is not the right way to delete data. All the data is still present in your disk. Only it is not visible to your eyes. Data wiping program is needed to erase all the data permanently.
You can explore all through the disk and delete the unwanted or private data to ensure deletion using delete or shift + delete option of the system. But unfortunately, the data is very much present at the same location hiding from your eyes. This, so called deleted data, can be easily recovered using good data recovery program present in the market.
Formatting seems to be permanently deleting the files and all the information but it has also the same effect as the delete and shift + delete commands. All these commands just delete the link of the files from the directory. Formatting deletes the meta tags and tags of the files. But from security point of view it is not secure and authentic. Data recovery programs easily detect and recover the data whether it is deleted, shift deleted or formatted. Data forensic experts and investigating agencies use this fact to recover data from a computer system of any cyber criminal to get any clue about the crime performed using the computer. More over if the computer passes into wrong hands your private and confidential data will be give enough information to destroy your public and professional image.
Also, if the data will not cost you it can be beneficial for the buyer of your computer and they can get a large amount of audio, video and costly programs that you once had on your system for free.
To get rid of all these unwanted tension, you need to buy a disk wiping program. Disk wiping programs securely delete your data making it unrecoverable in any circumstances. Many of these are available on the internet for free, or you can buy them at a minimal price. They are also called by some as disk shredders, disk cleaners or simply disk erasers.
Data Wipers employ the method of overwriting the data bits with random patterns of 0s and 1s. Once the memory is overwritten with these bit patterns the data becomes un-recoverable by any means. Some data recovery programs claim to recover data overwritten ones. So, multiple rounds of overwriting should be done to ensure complete eraser of the files. Many standards have also been developed to make the wiping process authentic. Department of Defense 5220.22-M is a famous standard for wiping data in the disk. It sets to delete the data by overwriting it thrice with a pattern of 0s and 1s. Once the data wiping is completed it is called as single pass. Experts recommend doing the overwriting seven times to make it un-recoverable.
To know some more interesting tips to sanitize your hard disk, you can visit: http://www.recoveryknowledgebase.com/Disk-Sanitization.htm.
