Re: Open Source or Freeware File / Free Space Erasers

["Eric C. Lukens" <eric.lukens () UNI EDU>]

Sdelete is good, I've used it to zero free space on VMs so they'll
compact better. It's flaw is that it is only command line, but if only
computer savvy people are using it or it is scripted, then it should
be fine.

Also for those thinking of using Eraser from http://eraser.heidi.ie/,
keep in mind the installer is set by default to wipe *files* with the
35-pass Gutmann wipe. Since that is unnecessarily excessive, it may
make people less likely to use it to wipe a single, larger file. If
deploying it, I'd suggest changing the setting to either single or
3-pass wiping. Eraser is set by default to do just a single pass on
free-space wiping.

Trustworthy research seems to indicate that a single pass wipe is
likely good enough for most of us for magnetic-based hard drives, and
a 3-pass is more than enough. Of course, there are areas of the disk
that will be bypassed even when using a full-disk wipe program like
DBAN, so destruction is still considered superior to wiping. See
http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-88/NISTSP800-88_with-errata.pdf
for more info.

Lastly, remember wiping files or free-space on a solid-state drive (or
a hybrid drive) is completely different due to the wear-leveling
algorithms. Wiping using the secure erase command seems to be the only
solution for a successful wipe and that is only applicable to the
models that implemented the command properly.

-Eric

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [SECURITY] Open Source or Freeware File / Free Space Erasers
From: Tonkin, Derek K <Derek_Tonkin () BAYLOR EDU>
To: SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU
Date: 8/1/2012 8:46 AM

> This was one I was curious about has anyone used it much?
>
> -----Original Message----- From: The EDUCAUSE Security Constituent
> Group Listserv [mailto:SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU] On Behalf Of
> Beth Young Sent: Wednesday, August 01, 2012 7:53 AM To:
> SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU Subject: Re: [SECURITY] Open Source
> or Freeware File / Free Space Erasers
>
>
> Don't forget about SDelete from SysInternals.
>
> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897443
>
>
> Beth
>
> On 7/31/2012 4:53 PM, Hauber, Wayne [ITSEC] wrote:
>
>
> > I haven?t tested it, but I like the simplicity of interface for
> > this one:  http://freeraser.en.softonic.com/
>
>
>
> > I liked Heidi a while back, but they seem to have taken away a
> > lot of helpful functionality in the 6+ version.  (Plus I have
> > stability problems with 6+ on windows 7).
>
>
>
> > I have the same reaction to version 6 of Eraser. I?ve been using
> > very 5.88 in lieu of something better. It is still functional.
>
>
>
> > Wayne Hauber (515) 294-9890
>
> > Iowa State University
>
> > Information Technology Services
>
> > IT Security and Policies
>
> > 297 Durham Center, ISU, Ames, Iowa 50011
>
> > wjhauber () iastate edu <mailto:wjhauber () iastate edu>
>
>
>
>
>
> > Quinn R Shamblin 
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------
> Executive Director of Information Security, Boston University
> > CISM, CISSP, GCFA, PMP  ?  O 617-358-6310  M 617-999-7523
>
>
>
> > *From:*The EDUCAUSE Security Constituent Group Listserv 
> > [mailto:SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU] 
> > <mailto:[mailto:SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU]> *On Behalf Of
> > *King, Ronald A. *Sent:* Tuesday, July 31, 2012 1:21 PM *To:* 
> > SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU
> > <mailto:SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU> *Subject:* Re: [SECURITY]
> > Open Source or Freeware File / Free Space Erasers
>
>
>
> > Have you looked at Eraser, http://eraser.heidi.ie/, for Windows? 
> > We are happy with it and recommend it to our users, though, I
> > have never used it to wipe free space.
>
>
>
> > / /
>
> > /Ronald King/
>
> > /Security Engineer/
>
> > /http://security.nsu.edu <http://security.nsu.edu/>/
>
>
>
> > *From:*The EDUCAUSE Security Constituent Group Listserv 
> > [mailto:SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU] 
> > <mailto:[mailto:SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU]> *On Behalf Of 
> > *Tonkin, Derek K *Sent:* Tuesday, July 31, 2012 1:06 PM *To:* 
> > SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU
> > <mailto:SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU> *Subject:* [SECURITY]
> > Open Source or Freeware File / Free Space Erasers
>
>
>
> > Does anyone have a recommendation of a free or very low cost
> > product for doing secure file erasures?  Having secure free space
> > wipe functionality would be a big plus.  Our main concern is that
> > the software be simple to setup and use and be safe (basically,
> > we don?t want the free space wipe to result in a bricked
> > machine). This is for a very short term use and management
> > features are not desired.
>
>
>
> > Thanks in advance!
>
>
>
> > *___________________________________________________________* 
> > *DEREK TONKIN*
>
> > Information Security Analyst ITS ? Networking Systems DPKG Suite 
> > 117.3 (254) 710-7061**
>
> > Derek_Tonkin () Baylor edu <mailto:Derek_Tonkin () Baylor edu>
>
>
>
> > _External Mailing Address_ One Bear Place #97268 Waco, TX 
> > 76798-7268
>
> > Description: Description: bearawarefinal

-- 
Eric C. Lukens
IT Security Policy and Risk Assessment Analyst
ITS-Network Services
Curris Business Building 15
University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0121
(319) 273-7434
http://www.uni.edu/elukens/

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