>Date:    Fri, 8 May 1998 11:45:59 -0800
>From:    David Gillett <[log in to unmask]>
>
>On  8 May 98 at 10:30, Len Warner wrote:
>> ...for confidentiality... use a security delete utility...
>> that overwrites the physical storage space...
>> Just to be sure... fill... space on... drive with dummy data.
>
>Note that in an era of DriveSpace and other compression
>technologies, a "security delete utility" is very hard to get right;
>there's no guarantee that the data written back "over" the file
>contents will be the same *size*, or stored in the same physical disk
>sectors.

I had reached the same conclusion as Dave here. However,
if I were _really_ paranoid (or worked for the US government :)
I wouldn't rely exclusively either on someone else's supposed
expertise or on my own presumed OS knowledge, but would use
_both_ methods (the 'approved' deletion utility and filling
the drive with junk) - hence the 'just to be sure' clause.

My friend upgrades machines used for medical clinic records and
finds DOS deletion followed by filling the drive quite adequate
for drives which are to be 'retired' to home PCs.

I suppose when one has network management responsibilities
'really paranoid' is the sane approach: I've heard of some
serious hacking attempts at the college where I lecture.
(And then, OTOH, they have removed the 'Recycle Bin' icon
and hidden the drive C: file, but it still exists and it's
easy to create a shortcut to it. It's a potential hazard
to a mobile lecturer population - I carry a shortcut on my
network drive and empty Recycle Bin frequently.)




Len Warner <[log in to unmask]> WWW Pager http://wwp.mirabilis.com/10120933