 jansson_mark Markus Jansson Premium join:2001-08-05 Finland
| Re: Disk encryption may not be secure enough Is there any way to easily overwrite old data in RAM? I mean, starting computer up doesnt clear the whole RAM or does it? Booting some lame Knoppix wont consume enought RAM to clear it from sensitive data either? What can you do - except wait and hope for best? -- My computer security & privacy related homepage »www.markusjansson.net Use HushTools or GnuPG/PGP to encrypt any email before sending it to me to protect our privacy. | |
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 mikenolan7 Premium join:2005-06-07 Torrance, CA
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| Re: Disk encryption may not be secure enough Proves once again that physical access = owned.
There is a software memory wiper called SMEM. It was included in older versions of the System Rescue CD. I haven't downloaded a copy of System Rescue lately, so I don't know if it is still one of their packages. You would have to boot the System Rescue CD, then wipe your memory to go that route. I have used it when completely wiping a machine. In order for it to not stall and crash, I found that I had to set up a swap drive bigger than the amount of RAM in the machine (which System Rescue CD doesn't do on it's own). | |
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 |  SUMware Premium join:2002-05-21
| Re: Disk encryption may not be secure enough said by mikenolan7 :There is a software memory wiper called SMEM. It was included in older versions of the System Rescue CD. I haven't downloaded a copy of System Rescue lately, so I don't know if it is still one of their packages. Yes, thanks. SMEM is one of numerous integrated Linux commands.
From Sysresccd-manual-en Secure Deletion of Data quote: SMEM from the THC-Secure Deletion Tools ( see »www.thc.org/releases.php?q=delete ) does a secure overwriting of unused memory (RAM)
For more information about SMEM, SRC, SHRED, etc. see: Howto: Delete Files Permanently and Securely in Linux smem - Secure memory wiper; used to wipe traces of data from your computer's memory (RAM) | |
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 |  a_large_rock
join:2003-08-02 Markham, ON
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| Re: Disk encryption may not be secure enough said by Anonymous_ :said by jansson_mark :Is there any way to easily overwrite old data in RAM? memtest86+ » www.memtest.org/will over write it with usesless crap Memtest86 on powerdown would work. I remember reading about a company 20 or 30 years ago using a watchdog card to whipe system memory on a powerdown/power failure. I'm not sure how easy that would be on a PC today. | |
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