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SINGAPORE : Think twice before you chuck out that old mobile phone or computer. Even if you’ve deleted your files, your personal information can still be retrieved using off-the shelf data recovery software. Just imagine your email, passwords and financial and contact details in malicious hands - off go those alarms bells for identity theft.
Deleting your files merely removes references to the data that resides on your hard disk. So before you throw away your computer, you can choose to physically destroy the disk (some recommend the barbaric but effective method of smashing it with a hammer), or, you can also delete the data securely using some online tools.
A common solution is to write over your data several times so it can’t easily be retrieved. The more you overwrite your data, the harder it is to recover it. The United States Department of Defense recommends overwriting a disk at least seven times. We tell you how you can safely discard your gadgets and wipe them clean of all personal information.
COMPUTERS
Mac Operating System
According to Apple, if you want to delete data from your Mac securely, boot up your machine using the Leopard DVD. Then, launch Disk Utility, select the right hard disk, click on Erase and click on Security Options.
You’ll be provided with a list of options to erase your data securely. Try the 7-Pass Erase option, which even meets the United States’ Department of Defense’ standards for erasing magnetic media. But for the truly paranoid, there’s a 35-Pass Erase option that erases the information used to access your files and writes over your data 35 times!
To delete files securely on a day-to-day basis, you can choose the Secure Empty Trash option from the drop-down Finder menu.
Windows Operating System
Despite the ubiquity of Windows, Microsoft doesn’t provide a built-in tool in its operating systems for you to erase data securely.
According to the company, consumers can use third-party software to securely delete personal information, while corporate consumers, constrained by regulatory requirements, are provided with “specific data security and sanitisation features” in Windows Vista Enterprise and Ultimate.
At the rate we’re discarding our hardware, we think Microsoft should provide consumers an easy method to do so. Till they do, a quick search online would reveal plenty of utilities that can solve the problem. We’ve been using Darik’s Boot and Nuke (DBAN), an aptly-named free software that can get the job done easily.
What’s cool about the software is that it allows you to boot up from an archaic floppy disk, a CD, DVD or even a USB flash drive. We also like the fact that it’s a light 1.6MB download and that the site (www.dban.org) provides a well-documented FAQ section.
For your daily use, download and install Eraser (www.heidi.ie). The next time you empty your Recycle Bin, right-click and choose from its comprehensive list. The 7-Pass DoD option should be secure enough for most users.
MOBILE PHONES
ReCellular, a US-based company that refurbishes, reuses and recycles discarded cell phones, has a comprehensive resource on its site (www.recellular.com/recycling/data_eraser) on secure data deletion. Step-bystep PDF guides show you how to remove personal information from phones made by Nokia, Motorola, Samsung and other major brands. Here, we offer you additional tips.
Windows Mobile Smartphones
If you lose your Windows Mobile-based phone and it’s synced to Microsoft Exchange, you can tell your IT staff to do a remote wipeout of your phone. As a precautionary measure, you can set your smartphone to erase its memory when the PIN you’ve set has been incorrectly entered a few times.
Smartphones like the HTC Touch Diamond are preloaded with an application that can do a “full reset” of the device, restoring it to its default settings and deleting all data and applications that you’ve installed. Having used this recently, we can vouch that it works pretty well, and it’s a pity not all Windows Mobile smartphones have this feature.
iPhone 3G
If the iPhone is configured for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync, the business user can request for their IT department to perform a remote wipeout on the device. And if you’ve enabled the Passcode lock feature, 10 failed attempts to access your iPhone will trigger it to erase your data.
To restore the phone to its factory condition, go to Settings and tap on General. Choose the Reset option and tap on Erase All Content and Settings. Apple says it’s a safe enough option for users as it overrides existing data by performing a new installation of the operating system to the device.
Be prepared to wait though - it can take up to two hours for the process to be completed.
EXTERNAL HARD DISKS or MEMORY CARDS
Using a Windows Computer
Download and install Eraser (www.heidi.ie). After you delete files from your memory cards or external hard disks, rightclick on the drive in Windows Explorer and select Erase Unused Space. In the dialogue box that pops up, you can click on Options to select how many times you want to write over your data. Writing over a 4GB thumb drive seven times took one lengthy hour.
Using a Mac Computer
You don’t have to boot up your Mac using the Leopard DVD to securely erase external media or memory cards. Just head to your Utilities folder and launch Disk Utility. Select the desired external media and click on the Erase tab. You’ll find that the same options that allow you to delete data securely on Mac hard disks are also available.
- TODAYrose
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