Re: Erase Files / faq diff

[Tom Cosgrove <tom.cosgrove@arches-consulting.com>]

>>> Chris Paul 7-Sep-03 02:02 >>>
>
> > Theo de Raadt <deraadt@cvs.openbsd.org> wrote:
>
> > > I erase drives by taking them apart because those magnets work
> > > really well at holding photographs onto my fridge.
>
> A secure method. Maybe if this was in the FAQ, this question wouldn't
> get asked again. -CP


Index: faq8.html
===================================================================
RCS file: /home/OpenBSD/cvs/www/faq/faq8.html,v
retrieving revision 1.131
diff -u -r1.131 faq8.html
--- faq8.html	5 Aug 2003 19:57:22 -0000	1.131
+++ faq8.html	8 Sep 2003 12:49:24 -0000
@@ -64,6 +64,8 @@
   long for me to log in?</a>
 <li><a href= "#wwwnotstd"   >8.23 - Why do the OpenBSD web pages not conform to HTML4/XHTML?</a>
 <li><a href= "#NTPerror"    >8.24 - Why is my clock off by twenty-some seconds?</a>
+<li><a href= "#srm"         >8.25 - How can I securely delete data that
+ is no longer valid?</a>
 </ul>
 
 <hr> 
@@ -1418,6 +1420,26 @@
 </pre>
 
 In other countries, the rules may differ.
+
+<a name="srm"></a>
+<h2>8.25 - How can I securely delete data that is no longer valid?</h2>
+
+<p>
+The only guaranteed way to delete data is to physically destroy the
+hard disc that contains it.
+Theo likes to use the magnets to hold photographs to his fridge.
+Others enjoy pyrotechnic displays when the platters are microwaved
+(this can be dangerous).
+Do <b>not</b> try to bend or break the glass disc platters - tiny
+shards of glass can have unpleasant effects on human tissue when
+airborne.
+
+<p>
+Other attempts to securely delete data, such as overwriting with
+particular patterns a given number of times, do not guarantee that
+the data will not be recoverable later, given sufficient resources.
+If you wish to use such methods, at your own risk, there are
+third-party utilities you can get.
 
 <p>
 <font color= "#0000e0">