I've not used the Lavasoft File Shredder product specifically (though I
use/used some of their other products with satisfaction).

For deleting sensitive data I use a free, open source app called Eraser
(http://www.heidi.ie/eraser/) which does the same thing. Upon installing
Eraser you get a right click option to "Erase" or securely move a
file/folder/etc.

In my opinion anyone dealing with sensitive files SHOULD use this sort
of product whenever they REALLY want to delete them. As you are aware
just clicking "delete" in Windows Explorer or dragging files to the
trash can does not actuallly delete the file (it in fact does nothing to
the file itself).

Using one of these file shredder apps users will find that it takes more
time (much more time and the larger the file the more time it takes) to
delete since they do multiple overwrites of the actual file storage
space on the hard drive.

I'm also a big believer of physically destroying hard drives when they
mechanically die or are replaced or disposed of. I keep an old pair of
fence pliers in one of our storage cabinets - I find a few hearty whacks
with the pointy end of the pliers to be sufficient to destroy the drive
platters.

Also, don't forget about backups or copies of files you truly wish to
delete - servers, network storage, backup tapes, etc. need to be dealt
with to truly delete a file.

Gerry


 

-----Original Message-----
From: Records Management Program [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Schulz, Janice (schulzjm)
Sent: Thursday, October 04, 2007 8:33 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: "Shredding" software

Has anyone used or evaluated the Lavasoft File Shredder software that
was included in Peter's last RAIN compilation? 

 

<http://www.net-security.org/secworld.php?id=5486>

 

When I discuss the disposition of electronic records, people are
surprised and often concerned that by simply deleting an electronic file
it is not truly destroyed, but still discoverable. This type of software
would be very useful for that purpose, but I can also see it as being
very dangerous for people to be able to obliterate files, especially in
the world of drag and drop. I am interested in anyone's opinion of this
issue or use of this or similar software.

 

Thanks

Janice

 

Janice Schulz
University Records Manager and
Archives Specialist
Archives & Rare Books Library
University of Cincinnati
P.O. Box 210113
Cincinnati, OH  45221-0113
513-556-1958
[log in to unmask]
http://www.libraries.uc.edu/libraries/arb/records_management/index.html
<http://www.libraries.uc.edu/libraries/arb/records_management/index.html
> 

Campus Location: 806 Blegen

 


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