[TriLUG] OT: Linux Friendly Laptop Forsale

[Frye, Matthew]

Not slugs.  Tape grinders.  

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Aaron S. Joyner [mailto:aaron at joyner.ws]
> Sent: Thursday, June 10, 2004 7:07 AM
> To: Triangle Linux Users Group discussion list
> Subject: Re: [TriLUG] OT: Linux Friendly Laptop Forsale
> 
> 
> You are quite correct, alternating bit patterns tend to mess 
> with even 
> the data between the bits, which is where "residual" information can 
> often be recovered by an infinitely determined and funded 
> individual.  
> Unfortunately, *logically* alternating bit patterns may not really 
> equate to *physically* alternating bit patterns on the actual 
> platters.  
> Because modern disk drives may use unconventional ways of 
> writing to the 
> platters, such as proceeding through them in a helical pattern, as 
> opposed to a linear one.  Some discs even use more elaborate 
> patterned 
> writing in attempts to improve access and read/write times.  It would 
> probably be best to read up on the memtest86 scanning method, 
> and employ 
> something similar to the patterns he uses for testing, as a wipe 
> method.  Bearing that in mind is why I chose /dev/random for 
> my example, 
> as opposed to /dev/zero, but as you illustrate there is a lot 
> more that 
> can be done in the name of being thorough.  Consider the rumored NSA 
> practice, which is actually shooting a lead slug into the platters, 
> physically destroying the entire device.
> 
> Aaron S. Joyner
> 
> 
> john mitchell wrote:
> 
> > For the truly paranoid:
> >
> > fill entire disk with 0x55.
> > fill entire disk with 0xAA.
> >
> > repeat 10 times.
> >
> > (the alternating bit patterns really jam's it up for the NSA types)
> >
> > john mitchell
> >
> 
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