Drive wiping tools

Is it possible for someone to recover data after a combination of full disk encryption (long random password that you don't keep) and quick format multiple times?

travisdh1

@black3dynamite said in Drive wiping tools:

Is it possible for someone to recover data after a combination of full disk encryption (long random password that you don't keep) and quick format multiple times?

Not with quick formatting, nope. That just marks space as unused, it doesn't actually wipe it. If someone got ahold of the drive, they'd have as much time as they want to brute force the encryption key(s). Even a single full drive write won't necessarily overwrite every single bit of data.

A good password and multiple full drive writes is what you want. The old DoD standard was 4 full drive writes with completely random bits. Other than physical destruction, that's the best way for HDD. I believe someone already mentioned the built-in drive wipe that SSD drives have today, that's the only good way to wipe an SSD.

NashBrydges

For less sensitive drives, a good drill and 1/4" drillbit after a full random write works wonders too

marcinozga

I disassemble the drive, use electromagnets and blowtorch on platters, once they cool off, I give them to employees to use as coasters. 2.5" drives are crushed in a vise. I haven't had to destroy and SSDs yet, but vise would probably do the trick. CNC mill is always an option too.

I don't bother with wiping spinning rust, when I have to destroy them, they either broke or are old and being replaced with SSDs. Physical destruction is much more fun, and saves so much time.

CCWTech

Other than physically destroying unless you have data recovery equipment and edit the G list, no software will do the trick. It doesn't matter how many times you overwrite the data or what pattern you use.

G listed sectors will still contain data as the software will never wipe them because the software can't see sectors that are listed in the G list.

It will be a small amount of data still on the drive (depending on the # of sectors in the G list), but it's not really fully wiped unless you do this.

Also no need to drill holes. Just crush the 8 legged BIOS chip on any drive made in about the last 12 years and it's unrecoverable. Normally marked U12 on the board. If that chip isn't there, no one is getting any data.

pmoncho

@CCWTech said in Drive wiping tools:

Also no need to drill holes. Just crush the 8 legged BIOS chip on any drive made in about the last 12 years and it's unrecoverable. Normally marked U12 on the board. If that chip isn't there, no one is getting any data.

So no need to open the drive, remove the platters, scratch both sides to hell with a screwdriver, then bend them in half?

That is basically what I have been doing.

CCWTech

@pmoncho said in Drive wiping tools:

@CCWTech said in Drive wiping tools:

Also no need to drill holes. Just crush the 8 legged BIOS chip on any drive made in about the last 12 years and it's unrecoverable. Normally marked U12 on the board. If that chip isn't there, no one is getting any data.

So no need to open the drive, remove the platters, scratch both sides to hell with a screwdriver, then bend them in half?

That is basically what I have been doing.

LOL, nope. Unless that's fun for you!?!

pmoncho

@CCWTech said in Drive wiping tools:

@pmoncho said in Drive wiping tools:

@CCWTech said in Drive wiping tools:

Also no need to drill holes. Just crush the 8 legged BIOS chip on any drive made in about the last 12 years and it's unrecoverable. Normally marked U12 on the board. If that chip isn't there, no one is getting any data.

So no need to open the drive, remove the platters, scratch both sides to hell with a screwdriver, then bend them in half?

That is basically what I have been doing.

LOL, nope. Unless that's fun for you!?!

The first few were about 10 years ago, but that fun is done. Now its just a PITA, but with HIPAA and all, I figured better safe than sorry...

JaredBusch

@pmoncho said in Drive wiping tools:

The first few were about 10 years ago, but that fun is done. Now its just a PITA, but with HIPAA and all, I figured better safe than sorry...

Check with your shredding company. Many of them will accept drives in the shred truck the comes by.

One of my clients does this. The shredding company jsut wants to know when drives are involved prior to arrival so they can make it first stop or last stop, i forget which. Because hot metal and paper = potential fire.

I think it is last stop. so they can easily extinguish if needed.