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srm - a "secure remove" command

 
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crouse
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Joined: 17 Apr 2024
Posts: 11833
Location: Iowa

PostPosted: Fri Nov 02, 2024 4:35 am    Post subject: srm - a "secure remove" command Reply with quote

Found this one by accident. Looks very handy Wink Needless to say, I did install it Very Happy Very Happy
Code:
[crouse@VistaKillerTwo Scripts]$ pacman -Ss srm
extra/srm 1.2.8-1
    A secure replacement for rm(1) that overwrites data before unlinking
[crouse@VistaKillerTwo Scripts]$ 


Quote:

DESCRIPTION
srm removes each specified file by overwriting, renaming, and truncating it before unlinking. This
prevents other people from undeleting or recovering any information about the file from the command
line.

srm, like every program that uses the getopt function to parse its arguments, lets you use the --
option to indicate that all following arguments are non-options. To remove a file called `-f' in the
current directory, you could type either
rm -- -f
or
rm ./-f

OPTIONS
Remove (unlink) the FILE(s).

-d, --directory
ignored (for compatability with rm(1))

-f, --force
ignore nonexistent files, never prompt

-i, --interactive
prompt before any removal

-r, -R, --recursive
remove the contents of directories recursively

-s, --simple
only overwrite the file with a single pass of random data

-v, --verbose
explain what is being done

--help display this help and exit

--version
output version information and exit

NOTES
srm can not remove write protected files owned by another user, regardless of the permissions on the
directory containing the file.

Development and discussion of srm is carried out at http://sourceforge.net/project/?group_id=3297
which is also accessible via http://srm.sourceforge.net.



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JP
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Joined: 07 Jul 2024
Posts: 6671
Location: Central Montana

PostPosted: Fri Nov 02, 2024 4:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Am I understanding this correctly, would this work like "shredding" so's somebody can't recover your files no matter who they are? You would only have to type the one command and it's done, not like some other apps that require 20 or 30 repetitions? Question



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Rootboy
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Joined: 11 Aug 2024
Posts: 1947
Location: Lewisburg, Tennessee

PostPosted: Fri Nov 02, 2024 5:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

JP wrote:
Am I understanding this correctly, would this work like "shredding" so's somebody can't recover your files no matter who they are?


A few three letter agencies come to mind that might be able to recover the files.


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Germ
Keeper of the BIG STICK


Joined: 30 Apr 2024
Posts: 12452
Location: Planet Earth

PostPosted: Fri Nov 02, 2024 11:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice find. Thanks. Smile



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JP
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Joined: 07 Jul 2024
Posts: 6671
Location: Central Montana

PostPosted: Fri Nov 02, 2024 12:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rootboy wrote:
JP wrote:
Am I understanding this correctly, would this work like "shredding" so's somebody can't recover your files no matter who they are?


A few three letter agencies come to mind that might be able to recover the files.


That's what I was wondering:
crouse wrote:
DESCRIPTION
srm removes each specified file by overwriting, renaming, and truncating it before unlinking. This
prevents other people from undeleting or recovering any information about the file from the command
line.
I was hoping even those three letter agencies wouldn't be able to read your deleted files ..... if it was that good, NOBODY would be able to resurrect your data Very Happy Very Happy.

Just curiosity, mind you, no evil intent pondered Twisted Evil



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Rootboy
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Posts: 1947
Location: Lewisburg, Tennessee

PostPosted: Fri Nov 02, 2024 11:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

What you need is a sticker that says "Thermite inside" (ala Intel). That should at least give them the opportunity to pause and reconsider messing with your HD. Smile



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