Security Basics: RE: Secure deletion on Mac OS X

["Murda Mcloud" <murdamcloud () bigpond com>]

Sorry, but I can't really understand why people insist on using Gutmann's
method for wiping. 35 passes? What is the point? 1 pass and pretty much any
forensic analyst would say that there is no point looking at the blocks
where the data used to be. 3 if you're really paranoid. 35 is a waste of
time. Unless you're worried that some alien race may have the technology to
rebuild the data because they can work out the miniscule variations in the
fields.
Personally, I can't see it happening. DoD standard is good enough.

On a related note-does anyone know if eraser wipes the block as well as the
inodes for the data? Eraser does have a nice feature where it erases free
space(ie unallocated blocks). So all the stuff that had been 'deleted' is
then wiped.

-----Original Message-----
From: listbounce () securityfocus com [mailto:listbounce () securityfocus com] On
Behalf Of security.xentek
Sent: Tuesday, May 01, 2007 7:54 AM
To: security-basics () securityfocus com
Subject: Re: Secure deletion on Mac OS X

Safari has a private browsing feature, as well as a delete all  
history feature that should be pretty comparable to CCleaner.




+       eric m.
+       http://xentek.net
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + +


"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor  
do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is  
no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a  
daring adventure or nothing." - Helen Keller


On Apr 29, 2007, at 11:00 PM, barcajax () gmail com wrote:

> I use Eraser to securely delete files on my Windows XP desktop. I  
> use CCleaner to securely delete my surfing history, cookies and cache.
>
> I'm looking for similar freeware secure deletion tools that can be  
> used on Mac OS X. Mac OS X comes with its own secure deletion  
> option but it does not have any options to configure. How does it  
> fair against a tool like Eraser? Is there a better tool for Mac?  
> How about a freeware tool to securely clear my surfing history,  
> cookies and cache? My preference is for both tools to support the  
> Gutmann method.
>
> Any recommendations would be appreciated.