B4Print.com

Operating Systems => Macintosh => Topic started by: frailer on July 17, 2018, 11:40:03 PM

Title: Secure delete
Post by: frailer on July 17, 2018, 11:40:03 PM
My compadre here tells me that this has been removed by Apple, maybe about a year ago?. The one which overwrites the deleted material.

If so, then probs under NSA instruction/pressure.

I haven't been using it, though he has been. Not sure what the keyboard combo was. Someone here may know what's happened with it.
Title: Re: Secure delete
Post by: Possum on July 18, 2018, 07:12:55 AM
Are you talking about Secure Empty Trash? On my old system, there's no key combo for it, but it's under Finder. Maybe it's still on your system.
Title: Re: Secure delete
Post by: Joe on July 18, 2018, 08:56:51 AM
The feature was removed from the GUI in El Capitan but is still there if you don't mind using the Command Line in Terminal.

How to Perform Equivalent of "Secure Empty Trash" in OS X El Capitan (10.11.+) (http://osxdaily.com/2015/10/12/secure-empty-trash-equivalent-mac-os-x/)
Title: Re: Secure delete
Post by: DigiCorn on July 18, 2018, 08:56:54 AM
I always thought it was hold down the "option," key and right click delete trash.
Title: Re: Secure delete
Post by: Possum on July 18, 2018, 09:50:19 AM
Quote from: Joe on July 18, 2018, 08:56:51 AMThe feature was removed from the GUI in El Capitan but is still there if you don't mind using the Command Line in Terminal.

Another nonsensical removal of a useful software tool. Or maybe that was a bug, not a feature.  :facepalm:
Title: Re: Secure delete
Post by: StudioMonkey on July 19, 2018, 03:26:50 AM
Not sure why it was removed from the GUI but if you think it would stop anybody recovering data I've seen evidence to the contrary.  The only secure delete involves an axe, and that's not 100%.
 :toaster:
Title: Re: Secure delete
Post by: Joe on July 19, 2018, 07:10:29 AM
Quote from: StudioMonkey on July 19, 2018, 03:26:50 AMNot sure why it was removed from the GUI but if you think it would stop anybody recovering data I've seen evidence to the contrary.  The only secure delete involves an axe, and that's not 100%.
 :toaster:

Agreed. The only reason I ever used it for was if you tried to delete something and it wouldn't delete the regular way secure delete would usually delete it. Maybe it should have been called Super Delete instead of Secure Delete.
Title: Re: Secure delete
Post by: Joe on July 20, 2018, 12:52:14 PM
Quote from: Joe on July 18, 2018, 08:56:51 AMThe feature was removed from the GUI in El Capitan but is still there if you don't mind using the Command Line in Terminal.

How to Perform Equivalent of "Secure Empty Trash" in OS X El Capitan (10.11.+) (http://osxdaily.com/2015/10/12/secure-empty-trash-equivalent-mac-os-x/)

Note: Apple removed this functionality in Mac OS Sierra and High Sierra.
Title: Re: Secure delete
Post by: swampymarsh on July 21, 2018, 07:46:04 AM
I used to like the "force empty trash" as some files would not delete until a restart.

The following code was suggested as a replacement, so I made an AppleScript application that sits in my dock.

tell application "Finder"
do shell script "sudo rm -rf ~/.Trash/*" user name "<username>" password "<password>" with administrator privileges
end tell

In my case, the secure delete is just a brute force means to an end, so I only use it when the regular trash is stuck (as I am on a SSD).

https://www.cnet.com/how-to/find-how-how-much-longer-your-ssd-will-last/
Title: Re: Secure delete
Post by: Fat Boy Tim on July 21, 2018, 10:40:14 AM
Quote from: StudioMonkey on July 19, 2018, 03:26:50 AMNot sure why it was removed from the GUI but if you think it would stop anybody recovering data I've seen evidence to the contrary.  The only secure delete involves an axe, and that's not 100%.
 :toaster:

A few years ago me and a buddy at work had to tidy up the storage shelves. We found some old drives that were no use to us anymore. So we encrypted them. With a hammer and a few nails.
Title: Re: Secure delete
Post by: frailer on July 23, 2018, 04:13:15 PM
Quote from: Joe on July 18, 2018, 08:56:51 AMThe feature was removed from the GUI in El Capitan but is still there if you don't mind using the Command Line in Terminal.

How to Perform Equivalent of "Secure Empty Trash" in OS X El Capitan (10.11.+) (http://osxdaily.com/2015/10/12/secure-empty-trash-equivalent-mac-os-x/)

"... overwritten 35 times..."

My paranoid nature says easy access to Secure Delete was removed at 'higher authority' request... (orders).

Of course, the very people they'd be interested in would be well capable of Command Line.   :rolleyes: