Best way to destroy CDs with sensitive data:

Post by **f00dl3** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 1:38 am

I seen (and you have too probably) all these products that claim to destroy data on CDs / DVDs, but cost $$.

One thing that gets me is why they have not realized that the easiest and most economical way to destroy data on CD/DVD discs is to give the media to their kids.

Sort of.

It's rather simple - all you have to do is crack the CD/DVD in half with your hands. If you want to be super safe, use a knife and scrape away the disc flakey papery stuff inside of it.

Post by **dzjepp** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 2:47 am

Or cut the disc up in pieces dun dun!

I never heard of software to destroy files on media like cds... I mean wtf, who would pay for that?

Post by **Scourge** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 3:00 am

Take something with an edge and scrape off the data film into dust like you said. Only you don't have to break it. I'd like to see someone recover the data from that.

Post by **Hr.O** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 3:42 am

destroy the disk is the easy way, remove the reflective layer (right under the label) is the geeky way.
And o'course there's alllways the brainiac aka magnetron way

Post by **FragaGeddon** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 5:00 am

Or just stick them in the microwave for a few seconds.

Post by **SoM** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 6:45 pm

FragaGeddon wrote:Or just stick them in the microwave for a few seconds.

its also fucks up your microwave as it did to mine

Post by **AmIdYfReAk** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 6:52 pm

riddla wrote:I always snap em in two and toss em.

i agree, maby mated with a few DEEP scratches to help promote the breaking and make it harder if they want to reconstruct it.

Post by **R00k** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 7:47 pm

I like finding new creative ways to destroy them.

Bullet, hammer, axe, car tire, exacto knife, fireplace, dishwasher (doesn't really work well

), drill, screw, thumbtacks, etc...

There's certainly no reason to make a chore out of it.

Post by **axbaby** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 8:15 pm

makes good skeet's for shooting

skeet skeet skeet

Post by **Grudge** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 8:23 pm

bb gun

Post by **shiznit** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 9:21 pm

microwave for 10 seconds.

Post by **SOAPboy** » Fri Oct 28, 2005 6:28 am

SoM wrote:
FragaGeddon wrote:Or just stick them in the microwave for a few seconds.
its also fucks up your microwave as it did to mine

lol noob

FragaGeddon wrote:Or just stick them in the microwave for a few seconds.

Agreed

Post by **FragaGeddon** » Fri Oct 28, 2005 5:58 pm

Even if you break them in half, they can read the disc if they really wanted to.

Post by **axbaby** » Sat Oct 29, 2005 3:52 am

pure guess

pits and valleys can still be read so if someone really really really wanted to they could read a broken disc.

1's and 0 pits and valleys

Post by **Hr.O** » Sat Oct 29, 2005 5:24 am

I have to admit; my first reply didn't take dvds in account. anyways do bbq, and campfire ring a bell?

Post by **Hr.O** » Sat Oct 29, 2005 6:08 am

riddla wrote:A CD/DVD cannot be read without the lead-in data, i.e. table of contents, also known as Volume Allocation Tables or Volume Descriptors. Not to mention there are about a dozen formats in which any given CD or DVD can be written. The moment the integrity of the very center data ring (1st 1-2mm) of the disc is compromised its 100% coaster.

Yes and no, your idea renders an optical carrier useless for your avarage cheapo reader.
Nowadays there is software (fi H2cdimage) that tries to create usefull info from the bits and bytes it can read. You can lose both tocs/vats (joliet and iso-9660) and you still might be able to recover some data.
Note: H2cdimage is freeware, can you imagine what some pro compagnies might use?

ps. got the info from a German/Dutch magazine called C'T, part of F&L publishers, and i'm sure they also have UK/US based magazines.

Anyways to quote 'the bloodhound gang': burn motherfudger burn

Post by **Massive Quasars** » Sat Oct 29, 2005 11:22 am

Hr.O wrote: Anyways to quote 'the bloodhound gang': burn motherf***** burn

I tend to agree.

What about CD-RWs? Can they be overwritted with pseudorandom data many times over to prevent recovery of any usuable info? Something like the free Eraser program for HDs, except for CDRWs.

I hear the limit on rewrites for CDRWs is approx. a 1000 times over? I suspect this is because the disc itself becomes a bit worn out being spun so many times, I don't know that the upper limit really has been established? That said perhaps it's best not to treat the discs like HD platters and spin them into oblivion writing them over 35 times using the Gutmann process (whatever that is).

Post by **Hr.O** » Sat Oct 29, 2005 5:45 pm

Massive Quasars wrote:
I tend to agree.

What about CD-RWs? Can they be overwritted with pseudorandom data many times over to prevent recovery of any usuable info? Something like the free Eraser program for HDs, except for CDRWs.

I hear the limit on rewrites for CDRWs is approx. a 1000 times over? I suspect this is because the disc itself becomes a bit worn out being spun so many times, I don't know that the upper limit really has been established? That said perhaps it's best not to treat the discs like HD platters and spin them into oblivion writing them over 35 times using the Gutmann process (whatever that is).

erm I meant 'the other' burn

Post by **axbaby** » Sat Oct 29, 2005 10:26 pm

gigatron microsope .. you can bet the FBI can read broken disks

Post by **Massive Quasars** » Sat Oct 29, 2005 10:51 pm

Hr.O wrote: erm I meant 'the other' burn

I know....

Post by **Bdw3** » Sat Oct 29, 2005 10:58 pm

Nothing I've ever put on any CD has been so sensitive that I felt the need to go beyond simply cutting it in half.
Seriously... You guys have top secret nature of the universe type shit on your discs or something?

:icon27:

Post by **Foo** » Sat Oct 29, 2005 11:00 pm

Pederasts through n through.

Post by **Scourge** » Sat Oct 29, 2005 11:04 pm

Bdw3 wrote:Nothing I've ever put on any CD has been so sensitive that I felt the need to go beyond simply cutting it in half.
Seriously... You guys have top secret nature of the universe type shit on your discs or something?

:icon27:

No, mostly just curiousity. Just wondered what would happen if I scraped a cd. Poof, silver dust.

Post by **pookie** » Sat Oct 29, 2005 11:19 pm

Massive Quasars wrote:
Hr.O wrote: That said perhaps it's best not to treat the discs like HD platters and spin them into oblivion writing them over 35 times using the Gutmann process (whatever that is).

Peter Gutmann's presentation was about preventing the recovery of data from HDs with scanning electron microscopes. The overwrite table can be found here;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gutmann_method

That being said, the recommendation of NSA is to overwrite the disk 7 times before disposal for normal data. If the data is sensitive, the disk should be degaussed or melted.

There are a number of utilities, some of which are freeware, which implement Dr. Gutmann's process. From experience, this is a really slow process, and you are better off just melting it anyway if recovery concerns you.

Post by **Massive Quasars** » Sun Oct 30, 2005 12:12 am

The Gutmann method of erasing using the free Eraser software works just fine for small files on a fast HD. For slightly larger files the US DoD method (7 or 3 rewrites) would be a better choice. I doubt anyone here would want to destroy their still usuable HD(s) to make the information on there entirely unrecoverable.