IT Security Stack Exchange
IT Security Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [data-remanence]

21 questions
90
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1 answer

Wiping an SSD with Parted Magic seemed too quick

I'm selling a computer with an SSD (it's a Lenovo ThinkPad Carbon X1). I wiped the drive using Parted Magic. I used the ATA method. I'm not sure what that is but it was the only setting available. It said it would take two minutes but the wipe was…
user1102550
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10 answers

Would it be good secure programming practice to overwrite a "sensitive" variable before deleting it?

Is it good secure programming practice to overwrite sensitive data stored in a variable before it is deleted (or goes out of scope)? My thought is that it would prevent a hacker from being able to read any latent data in RAM due to data-remanence. …
Jonathan
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45
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1 answer

Does WinRAR leave traces of temporarily extracted files?

If I have an encrypted RAR file which will only open using a password, and I opened a file directly from within WinRAR by double clicking the file inside WinRAR, I assume that WinRAR will create a temporary version somewhere in the drive (temp…
Nean Der Thal
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2 answers

Is Data Remanence a Myth?

Possible Duplicate: Why is writing zeros (or random data) over a hard drive multiple times better than just doing it once? Multiple overwrites have often been discussed as a secure way of erasing data. Some people say that the only way to…
lynks
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12
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2 answers

Ensure data doesn't linger after being deleted

I'm trying to make a service that keeps as little data on its users as possible. To that end, I want to make sure that someone using forensic tools won't gain any more information than I would by looking at my database or filesystem. In other words,…
Nick ODell
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1 answer

Should a secure ATA erase be performed on a non-SSD drive?

When running the command hdparm -I /dev/sda the following output is generated. ATA device, with non-removable media Model Number: WDC WD10JPVX-75JC3T0 Serial Number: WX51A9324970 Firmware…
Motivated
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2 answers

What is the current EU standard for data destruction?

I have been hunting around for a couple of weeks trying to find what the current standards for sensitive data destruction in the EU/UK are. If you look at the destruction companies they have several answers BS EN: 15713:2009 comes up a lot, but so…
EnviableOne
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How to erase as much as possible an SSD without ATA Secure Erase?

The question is almost completely answered. However, more details are still needed. See Update 2 down here. I've learnt that the ATA Secure Erase is uncorrectly implemented in SSDs (sources are down here), but I'm still willing to find a way to…
X.LINK
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9
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8 answers

Overwriting hard drive to securely delete a file?

I am working on a computer that I am not allowed to install new software on. It does not have secure delete software installed. Suppose I have a file (or files) that are sensitive that I'd like to delete and prevent (or make it very difficult) to…
Drew
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1 answer

Is GNU shred relevant for SSDs?

The Gutmann method, which apparently is used by GNU shred, has appeared in 1996, which focused on finding random 5 to 31 patterns and taking into account particular magnetic encoding. Considering that now we have SSDs, I'm guessing that Gutmann…
Sergiy Kolodyazhnyy
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1 answer

Is data-remanence a concern in RAM?

I know data-remanence is a concern on hard drives, but is it a concern on RAM? For example, once a program completes, is its data still available on RAM, just as data on a hard drive remains after being deleted? Edit: In this case, I am not as…
Jonathan
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4
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2 answers

What are the benefits of having multiple overwriting patterns for secure deletion?

When installing a new AIX server, there is a possibility to use several patterns for secure deletion. My question: Is it necessary to use several patterns? What is the benefit from having several ones?
newuser999
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5 answers

How to securely sanitize data tapes, and audit the results?

I work at an electronics recycling facility and we were just presented with an offer from a client that would like to buy our used data tapes. Our problem is that we have never sanitized data tapes as we have only shredded them in the past. I need…
Rolly Aponte
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Is there a way to guarantee removal of data after closing Facebook / Gmail / Dropbox account?

Of course my default way of thinking is: deleted: true while keeping all the data in place. In fact I would be interested in knowing what standard operating procedures are in place for retention of personal data. Or maybe I shall write directly to…
Mars Robertson
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Is corrupting the ciphertext corruption a good erasure?

Normally when you wipe a drive there are still ghost remains of the data even after overwriting the disk multiple times. So I was wondering if you could encrypt the drive and then overwrite the encrypted data, would it be possible to recover any…
WAR10CK
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