Secure data file erasure
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A device comprising:
- an erase trigger;
a drive sector analyzer in communication with a CPU that has addressed a data file stored on the storage medium, the drive sector analyzer retrieving data file location data from the CPU in response to activation of the erase trigger;
a secure storage medium eraser in communication with the drive sector analyzer that overwrites the data file according to a predetermined secure erase method;
an erase pattern determiner in communication with the erase trigger and the secure storage medium eraser, the erase iteration determiner sending to the secure storage eraser a type and number of times to overwrite the data file in response to the erase trigger and according to predetermined criteria.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A process that ensures the destruction of data files a user wishes to completely erase from a storage medium, such as a hard drive or removable disk. A system administrator can select a quantity of and pattern to be used in overwrites of the data file so that no one can recover the data from the storage medium. In embodiments, a graphical user interface (GUI) can be provided to allow user triggering of and parameter setting for the process. The GUI can be implemented at a device in which the storage medium is a component or can be implemented in a device driver GUI on a personal computer in communication with the device.
-
Citations
26 Claims
-
1. A device comprising:
-
an erase trigger;
a drive sector analyzer in communication with a CPU that has addressed a data file stored on the storage medium, the drive sector analyzer retrieving data file location data from the CPU in response to activation of the erase trigger;
a secure storage medium eraser in communication with the drive sector analyzer that overwrites the data file according to a predetermined secure erase method;
an erase pattern determiner in communication with the erase trigger and the secure storage medium eraser, the erase iteration determiner sending to the secure storage eraser a type and number of times to overwrite the data file in response to the erase trigger and according to predetermined criteria. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
13. A method of securely erasing at least one data file from a storage medium, the method comprising:
-
providing an erase trigger;
determining a location of the data file on the storage medium;
overwriting the data file according to a predetermined secure erase method;
determining at least a number of times to overwrite the data file in response to the erase trigger and according to predetermined criteria.
-
-
26. An apparatus including:
-
an erase trigger;
a drive sector analyzer in communication with a CPU that has addressed a data file stored on the storage medium, the drive sector analyzer retrieving data file location data from the CPU in response to activation of the erase trigger;
a secure storage medium eraser in communication with the drive sector analyzer that overwrites the data file according to a predetermined secure erase method; and
an erase pattern determiner in communication with the erase trigger and the secure storage medium eraser, the erase iteration determiner sending to the secure storage eraser a type and number of times to overwrite the data file in response to the erase trigger and according to predetermined criteria;
the apparatus performing a method of securely erasing at least one data file from a storage medium, the method comprising;
providing an erase trigger;
determining a location of the data file on the storage medium;
overwriting the data file according to a predetermined secure erase method; and
determining at least a number of times to overwrite the data file in response to the erase trigger and according to predetermined criteria.
-
Specification