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Diffstat (limited to 'system/srm/README')
| -rw-r--r-- | system/srm/README | 23 |
1 files changed, 12 insertions, 11 deletions
diff --git a/system/srm/README b/system/srm/README index d231d5aafa..a2c86552ed 100644 --- a/system/srm/README +++ b/system/srm/README @@ -1,14 +1,15 @@ srm is a secure replacement for rm(1). Unlike the standard rm, it overwrites the data in the target files before unlinking them. This prevents command-line -recovery of the data by examining the raw block device. It may also help -frustrate physical examination of the disk, although it's unlikely that it can -completely prevent that type of recovery. It is, essentially, a paper shredder -for sensitive files. +recovery of the data by examining the raw block device. It may also help to +frustrate a physical examination of the disk, although it's unlikely that it can +completely protect against this type of recovery. -srm is ideal for personal computers or workstations with Internet connections. -It can help prevent malicious users from breaking in and undeleting personal -files, such as old emails. It's also useful for permanently removing files -from expensive media. For example, cleaning your diary off the zip disk you're -using to send vacation pictures to Uncle Lou. Because it uses the exact same -options as rm(1), srm is simple to use. Just subsitute it for rm whenever you -want to destroy files, rather than just unlinking them. +srm uses algorithms found in "Secure Deletion of Data from Magnetic and Solid- +State Memory" by Peter Gutmann and THC Secure Delete (the overwrite, truncate, +rename, unlink sequence). + +Please note that srm will only work on file systems that overwrite blocks in +place. In particular, it will *NOT* work on reiserfs or the vast majority of +journaled file systems. It should work on ext2, FAT-based file systems, and +the BSD native file system. On ext3, srm will try to disable the journaling +of data (please see the verbose output if this fails). |