Re: Create text files recursively and write ZEROS within them all

What you have demonstrated is that you are ill-equipped to deal with issues of privacy or data security.

The recommended approach is to drop down to low-level. Issue a drive-erase command (there exist software to that purpose). Before reusing the drive, one ought to scan for badblocks and/or smart test. These operations take hours, possibly more that day with modern HDDs.

The best, most reliable way to provide security is to melt/shred/demagnetize the drive in industrial setting. You can substitute this process with a more affordable Hammer Method. That, too, may take hours to accomplish the objective but might be considered a good workout.

Comment on Re: Create text files recursively and write ZEROS within them all - data overwriting purposes

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Re^2: Create text files recursively and write ZEROS within them all - data overwriting purposes by panicbuttonsec (Initiate) on Dec 30, 2015 at 18:01 UTC
"What you have demonstrated is that you are ill-equipped to deal with issues of privacy or data security." I won't stoop to returning insults or presuming facts not present. I am an admitted perl newbie. I came here for information, not insults from people who do not know me & have likely never met me. Thankfully, someone with both knowledge & common courtesy provided what I needed to know.	[reply]
Re^3: Create text files recursively and write ZEROS within them all - data overwriting purposes by Your Mother (Archbishop) on Dec 30, 2015 at 22:38 UTC
I felt the response was insulting too and disapprove of the tone and approach but the message was accurate and the follow-up message equally worth hearing. This kind of thing is extremely difficult to get right everywhere; if you aren’t an up-to-date expert, you are nearly guaranteed to get it wrong in some way. Even the experts sometimes get these things surprisingly wrong; e.g., http://crypto.stackexchange.com/questions/14487/can-someone-explain-the-ecb-penguin.	[reply]
Re^4: Create text files recursively and write ZEROS within them all - data overwriting purposes by Anonymous Monk on Dec 31, 2015 at 08:39 UTC
I read the StackOverflow post, but not being an expert I can't see the error, but I'm curious - would you mind pointing it out?	[reply]
Re^5: Create text files recursively and write ZEROS within them all - data overwriting purposes by Anonymous Monk on Dec 31, 2015 at 09:28 UTC
Re^3: Create text files recursively and write ZEROS within them all - data overwriting purposes by Anonymous Monk on Dec 30, 2015 at 19:02 UTC
There was no insult. Perl may be outside your expertise (as you freely admit), but so is data security. (And it does no good to try to conceal this fact.) Take any advice you can collect here with a grain of salt. This is not a forensics forum.	[reply]