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Added by Mike Danseglio November 30, 2012

Most computer users think that when they empty the Recycle Bin, that data is gone forever. Unless the FBI or Interpol decide to use a scanning electron microscope, there’s no way someone can recover the information. Right?

Wrong.

That data is usually still laying around on the hard drive. Data remnants, or pieces of information that you don’t know about, can be on a computer for just a short time. But they can also remain there indefinitely.

Is there a way to erase the data permanently? Sure! In this video I explain a great feature built into Windows called Cipher /w (the w is for wipe).

Take a look at the video to see why you’d use it and exactly how it works by writing 0’s, 1’s, and pseudorandom hash values to only the unused parts of the hard drive. You’ll see how this erases unwanted data remnants while still preserving the data you want to keep.

Enjoy and be well.

Mike Danseglio -CISSP
Interface Technical Training – Technical Director and Instructor