Wiping out the data that won't die

Thursday, 15 May 2003, 11:27 AM EST

The undead cause you problems.

Not the ones from horror movies, but the files on your hard drive that you only think you zapped.

Suppose you're reviewing the wide range of skin tones your monitor will display when your wife asks to borrow the computer. Naturally, you erase the evidence.

But you didn't erase the data. That's still on your hard disk. All you did was tell your computer's operating system that the areas on the hard disk where those pictures were stored are now free to store other data. And there's a lot of software, much of it free, that makes data recovery quick and easy.

This can have more serious consequences than being sentenced to sleep on the couch, particularly if your PC contains sensitive information and most do.

[ Read more ]





Spotlight

Is it time to professionalize information security?

Posted on 23 May 2013.  |  The issue of whether or not information security professionals should be licensed to practice has already been the topic of many a passionate debate.


Daily digest

By subscribing to our early morning news update, you will receive a daily digest of the latest security news published on Help Net Security.
  

Weekly newsletter

With over 500 issues so far, reading our newsletter every Monday morning will keep you up-to-date with security risks out there.
  

 
DON'T
MISS

Fri, May 24th
    COPYRIGHT 1998-2013 BY HELP NET SECURITY.   // READ OUR PRIVACY POLICY // ABOUT US // ADVERTISE //