Reliably Erasing Data from Flash-Based Solid State Drives

[NoOp]

On 03/01/2011 06:49 AM, Liam Proven wrote:
> On Tue, Mar 1, 2011 at 3:13 AM, NoOp <glgxg at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>> On 02/28/2011 04:43 PM, Liam Proven wrote:
>>> On Sun, Feb 27, 2011 at 5:25 AM, Juan R. de Silva
>> ...
>>>> I've recently discarded an old HDD containing some data on it. Here what
>>>> I usually do. I disassemble the device, remove its plate/s and smash them
>>>> in pieces physically. Pliers and a hummer are very helpful. After this I
>>>> sleep well. :-)
>>>>
>>>> I think this "technology" though not being very High would resolve the
>>>> problem with any SSD or USB flash drive too. :-)
>>>
>>> DBAN is easier, quicker, less work and /more/ secure. Physical
>>> destruction merely makes the data harder to recover, not impossible.
>>>
>>> http://www.dban.org/
>>
>> You might want to research that a little more. Erase an SSD with private
>> data on it & then send it to me, or sell it on eBay. I prefer Jaun's
>> method instead.
> 
> Au contraire. I suggest that you do.
> 
> SSDs can be more easily and effectively erased than magnetic media,
> and are currently a lot more expensive and thus foolish to destroy in
> the hopes of erasing the information.
> 

So you'd rate
http://www.usenix.org/events/fast11/tech/full_papers/Wei.pdf
as bunk?


> Magnetic tracks have overspill, which a skilled data-recovery lab can
> use to reconstruct the information even after a single overwrite.

I wonder if you bothered to read the article. If you did, can you please
elaborate your trust in dban? dban states:
"Darik's Boot and Nuke ("DBAN") is a self-contained boot disk that
securely wipes the hard disks of most computers."

The site gives no mention of resolving the issues mentioned in Wei's paper.

> 
> Multiple overwrites - which is the /raison d'etre/ of DBAN - are much harder.

Perhaps you missed the session/paper?

But, then again, you may have also missed the multiple threads/posts on
the Ubuntu user list regarding this and similar subjects for wiping hard
drives.

http://linux.derkeiler.com/Mailing-Lists/Ubuntu/2009-07/msg01406.html
http://www.linux-archive.org/ubuntu-user/298469-data-shredder-4.html
etc.

> 
> TTBOMK a Flash memory cell, like any other memory, holds binary data.
> If that data is replaced, the original is gone. No multiple passes
> needed. 

And if that is the case, then why promote dban?

> The only issue is any reserved capacity, so for a whole SSD,
> you would need to fill it with random numbers in random order a few
> times, running TRIM on it between times, then zero it.

Read the pdf.

> 
> I would not be surprised if Darik of DBAN fame was on the case.

I would. But send him an email and ask & then report back eh?