Overwritting methods include and all 0s pass, also known as zeroing, and the quickest way to securely wipe a file, a single random data overwrite method, the US DoD 3 overwrites method, the US DoD 7 overwrites and the Gutmann 35 overwrites algorithm. I could not resize the window, not a big deal but sometimes you would like to see the full path before erasing a previously selected file. If you have to select multiple files it is best to place them all inside a folder and wipe the whole folder as I was unable to add more than one file at a time holding down the typical Windows CTRL key to do that.

Portable data wiper BitKiller

On the plus side the developer should be commended for explaining to the user in the supporting “Readme.txt” file that using the Gutmann method to overwrite data on a modern hard drive it is not needed even if the software includes it. There are data wiping utilities wasting people’s time giving them the false impression that the more times one overwrites a file the more difficult it will be to recover it, in reality, in a modern hard drive there is no way to recover anything after using the US Department of Defense method to wipe data, consisting of either 3 or 7 passes. As one can easily imagine the US Government will have already carried out extensive research and spent lots of money hiring data recovery experts to make sure that the algorithm they use is secure enough for secret data even against opponents with state resources, if their algorithm is good enough to stop US DoD enemies, it should be good enough for everyone.

This is very simple data wiper, idiot proof, not as complete and secure as a full suite that also erases temporary files and hard drive free space but it doesn’t need installation and you can carry it with you on a USB thumbdrive.

Visit BitKiller homepage

With a multilingual interface and a very complete and thorough data cleanser that includes file and folder wiping, registry cleaner and Internet tracks eraser supporting all major browsers, PrivaZer will fulfil all of your secure data erasing needs. Each one of the cleaning sections has configurable options and the data wiping methods include a variety of different international standards.

The drop-down menu interface is easy to use, advanced options are hidden by default to avoid overwhelming beginners, users with data wiping software experience will love exploring what the options hide and being able to customize it to their own needs. Data erasing is not limited to your desktop computer, there is a list of supported devices that can be selected for a data scan, computer, internal storage device, external device, USB thumbdrive, MP3 player, SD memory card and Network Attached Storage. I specially liked the erasing of the USB devices history traces in Windows, the scan showed me what memory sticks I had plugged in a few months back, USB thumbdrives have a unique serial number that is stored in the registry when you plug it in, this number identifies the memory stick brand and anything else the manufacturer wants to include in the code.

PrivaZer smart cookie eraser

PrivaZer is also one of the few freeware Internet erasing programs that will securely erase Windows pagefile, pagefile.sys. A registry cleaner with optional backup of registry keys is included too. You can set up PrivaZer so that your favourites settings cookies will be kept, e.g. Bing, Amazon, Yahoo, during the internet traces erasing and everything else will be securely erased (cache, history, thumbnails, flash player objects, searched words, etc).

This is the only eraser software I review that comes with instructions on its homepage on how a user can check that wiped data can not be recovered, including a manual with links to data recovery software and how to carry out data recovery tests on the wiped data to see for yourself that it is impossible to revert the data shredding process.

Secure data eraser PrivaZer

Data viewers come with the sotware, before erasing the data you can use PrivaZer to look into the contents of the hybernation file, hyberfil.sys, page file, pagefile.sys, IE index.dat and image thumbcache Thumbs.db. It is impossible for the average user to ever see the content of those files without special software and those are the first locations where a trained computer forensics expert will look into when a computer is taken in for analysis. Something to note is that the first clean up can take a couple of hours, the next hard drive sanitisation will be much quicker.

If you travel, a portable version can be generated during installation, a privaZer.exe that can be copied to a USB thumbdrive will be placed on the desktop.

Main PrivaZer data wiping methods

• British HMG IS5 Enhanced Standard (3 passes)
•  Russian Gost P50739-95 (2 passes)
• German Federal Office for Information Security (3 passes)
•  USA Navy NAVSO P-5239-26 (3 passes)
•  USA DoD 5220.22-M Department of Defense (3 passes)
•  German VSITR (7 passes)
•  Bruce Schneier’s Algorithm (7 passes)
• Peter Gutmann’s Algorithm (35 passes)

 If you do not know what data wiping algorithm to use do not worry, PrivaZer provides factual and useful information when you select one of the methods by warning the user that overwritting data more than 4 times is useless and a waste of time.

This tool is without a doubt far better than many paid for data erasing software, I was taken aback by its all-round data erasing approach, deep scanning, complete information on what is being erased, where data is being stored and extreme configuration. I don’t think you will find anything better for free, PrivaZer is superior to BleachBit and probably as good CyberScrub, ProtectStar or Window Washer.

Visit PrivaZer homepage

Super File Shredder is a free open source Windows utility to remove sensitive files and folders from your computer by overwriting them several times with your chosen algorithm, with a choice of a quick but low security simple one pass, DoD 5220.22-M (US Department of Defence standard), a 7 pass erasing algorithm and the Gutmann erasing algorithm with 35 passes.

 This tool can be integrated in Windows right click, select the files or folders using the interface or drag and drop the files you would like to securely erase inside the program main window. The secure erasing includes wiping of file names and zeroing after wiping, these last two choices can be disabled in settings although I see no reason for that.

Super File Shredder freeware

I found the program to be very easy to use and I liked that it can erase full folders in addition to single files but it could be improved allowing the user to resize the main window, sometimes you can’t see properly the file path if it is too long and the window too small, another shortcoming is that when I right-clicked on a file to wipe it I was asked for administrator rights, in other wiping software I normally use this is not necessary and it saves you time.

The level of security is enough to stop software recovery tools from uncovering your personal files but remember that temporary files could exist elsewhere in your operating system. If your opponent is serious about getting hold of your data I would invest in an all round security suite that takes care of temporary files and not a single data wiping tool like Super File Shredder designed to stop occasional snoopers and unsophisticated people.

Visit Super File Shredder homepage

 Disk Wipe is a free portable Windows only data wiper to securely remove data from memory storage devices like USB thumbdrives, external hard drives and hard disk partitions. It supports any device formatted with NTFS or FAT, including MP3 players and digital cameras with an internal memory formatted by one of the supported file systems.

Erasing patterns include a one pass wiping with zeroes or random data, Russian GOST P50739-95 (2 passes), British HMG IS5 (3 passes), US DoD 5220.22-M(E) (3 passes), US DoD 5220.22(ECE) (7 passes) and Peter Guttman (35 passes). Its settings comprise volume label naming and thread priority to set up the amount of CPU power you wish to allocate to the data wiping process. There is an online help manual with screenshots but you are not likely to need it.

Secure wiping software Disk Drive

After launching Disk Wipe the main window will give you plenty of information about the selected device, like serial number, sector count and master file table info, too technical for the home user but useful for IT departments.

The best feature of Disk Wipe is that it comes with an integrated Hex viewer, this should be standard in all file wipers in my humble opinion, an Hex viewer allows you to see by yourself the hard drive surface to make sure that data has been effectively removed with nothing left behind. During inspection you should only see random characters or zeroes depending on the chosen wiping algorithm, anyone intending to use an Hex editor to check for data remanence will be better off selecting a pattern that writes zeros during the last wiping pass.

Disk Wipe is open source, it can be freely distributed and modified under the terms of the GPL3 license. The program is a small 965Kb download, a good tool to securely erase memory cards and partitions for free.

Visit Disk Wipe homepage

Zer0 is a simple drag and drop secure file wiping software, in modern computers this tool will make use of multithreading to speed up data wiping. Multicore computers run instructions in parallel avoiding bottlenecks.

You can also erase files using right click, Zer0 only requires a single click to make sure your files will be gone for ever, there are no complicate configurations and no options. Files are erased with what the website lists as “high security wiping algorithm“, after asking further information to the developer he claimed that Zer0 implements the Guttman method (35 overwrites) 5 times and 3 specific processes to make recovery impossible. I was surprised at how quick file wiping is given those specs as it means that files are overwritten over 100 times.

Free file wiper Zer0

My only criticism with this software is the lack of information about the wiping pattern, I had to go out of my way and ask about it, when it comes to data erasing, unless you have low security needs, you will want to make sure that everything is perfect and the software uses some well known algorithm. While installing Zer0  you will have to watch out for toolbars before clicking on “next“, but you can’t blame the developer for this as it is optional and everyone has to make a living with their work one way or another.

Visit file wiper Zer0 homepage

RoadKil’s Disk Wipe is a very small (55Kb) portable utility to quickly wipe a full external hard drive, it will also wipe thumbdrives and memory cards. It is very easy to operate, after launching the program you select the external drive to wipe and if you want to blank it filling it with zeroes or fill it with random data, another setting lets you input the number of times the device must be overwritten.

RoadKil's portable disk wiper

This free data wiper doesn’t need administrator rights to run, you can take it with you wherever you go. Do not be fooled by its simplicity and lack of features, this program will make any data stored in a memory stick or external drive irrecoverable. I would use a three pass data wiping in case of an old drive skipping a sector, the second pass might as well go over it. But this would not happen for sure, when a drive has dead sectors the only sure way to destroy all data is physical destruction.

Visit Roadkil’s Disk Wipe homepage

TweakNow SecureDelete is a simple easy to use file and folder shredder, it supports standard wiping algorithms, DoD 5220.22M at 7 or 3 passes, this method partially complies with the  National Industrial Security Program (NISP) manual, a US nominal authority to manage standard procedures of private contractors to access classified information, although NISPOM 2007 edition warns that only “degaussing or physical destruction” is acceptable for media sanitization, have into account that Governments work at paranoia level and TweakNow Secure Delete DoD 5220.22M at 7 passes is more than enough to stop unerase utilities including those used by law enforcement.

There is another option to select the Gutmann method to overwrite a file or folder 35 times and another method can be chosen to overwrite data using random characters, manually configurable to as many passes as you like, up to 100 times.

TweakNow SecureDelete freeware eraser

SecureDelete can wipe data stored in the Windows page file at shutdown, the Windows page file is where the operating system stores information when and if it runs out of volatile RAM memory, all kind of confidential data could be found there, including passwords, computer forensics suites are capable of extracting page file data, Windows page file, also known as swap file, can not be manually deleted as it is part of the operating system, this is the reason why it has to be wiped at shutdown or boot up. If you choose to wipe your Windows page file the shutdown process will take much longer than usual, it’s probably best to only enable this option only once in a while and if you have enough RAM in your computer you don’t need to wipe Windows page file as it will be empty.

TweakNow SecureDelete can be used to wipe files in the Recycle Bin, but it would be best not to use the Recycle Bin in the first place, you can disable the Recycle Bin right-clicking on it, choose properties and tick “Remove files immediately when deleted” or use SecureDelete to get rid of the file permanently when you want to erase it, circumventing the Recycle Bin.

Visit TweakNow SecureDelete

Remo Drive Wipe is a Windows only hard drive erasing tool that allows you to remove sensitive data from physical or logical drives (a logical drive is a part of a physical hard drive that has been partitioned and functions as a separate drive),  by overwriting it with selected patterns that adjust to international disk wiping standards.

The free version of Remo Drive Wipe allows you to wipe a hard drive using a fast zero overwrite, random overwrite or DoD-5220.22M, the first two methods consist of a single data wipe pass, useful for a quick low security wiping, the third method consists of the US Department of Defense standard for sanitizing classified information, a three data wiping pass, more than enough for the home user with the data unlikely to be ever recovered.

Remo Drive Wipe free edition

Remo Drive Wipe is not a DBAN alternative, you should not use this software to wipe the hard drive where you are booting your operating system from, this tool runs from inside Windows and it will inevitably stop working if you erase Windows, leaving data still unerased, there is no security mechanism stopping you from doing this. Remo Drive Wipe is perfect to erase partitions, external hard drives and USB thumbdrives but not your main operating system.

For those dealing with data where the opponent can invest a fantastic amount of time and money studying the magnetic fields on the disk platter surface, state sponsored adversaries in search of trade or military secrets, Remo Drive Wipe has a paid for version of its software that includes the NATO data wiping pattern, US Navy NAVSO P-5239-26, Verschlusssache IT Richtlinien (VSITR) method as defined by the German Federal Office for Information Security and a paranoid combination of Peter Gutmann plus the DoD-5220.22M data wiping method, Remo Drive Wipe paid for version helps IT administrators justify to their employers that they are using a strong standard data wiping method to destroy information and cover themselves from any legal liability.

Visit Remo Drive Wipe homepage

ToolWiz Care is a full computer optimizer suite that includes a registry cleaner, secure file wiping, Windows junk cleaner ( taking in Internet history and cache), hard disk defragger, file splitter, password generator, file encryption and file undelete. ToolWiz Care has over 40 powerful tools to speed up your computer getting rid of the junk that clogs it up and tweak installed programs, its combination of security tools and file cleaning should make this program a must have for anyone who cares about personal privacy and keeping the computer running smooth.

My only criticism is that once you start an operation, this can not be cancelled, for example, I created a 50GB encrypted virtual drive and when I realised it would take too long I had to wait a good fifteen minutes until it finished. There is a software uninstaller but it won’t help you to get rid of hard to go programs, its main advantage is that you won’t have to go into Windows Control Panel and that it gives you very detailed information on everything installed in your computer, like Internet addons and Windows packages that can be individually disabled.

ToolWiz Care encrypted safe creation

Make sure to change the default settings (Clean up settings tab) to instruct this program to securely wipe your temporary files 5 times to stop undelete applications from recovering them, combining ToolWiz Care cleaning and data encryption capabilities should be enough for most users,  you are not likely to need anything else to keep your computer security and personal privacy at bay, if you did ToolWiz Care includes direct download links (Apps Manager>Recommended software) to popular free alternative programs to default Windows software, like antivirus (Avast, Avira), anti-malware (Spybot, Malwarebytes), Instant Messenger (Skype), Internet browser (Firefox, Opera), etc.

ToolWiz Care uninstall software

It is amazing that this program is freeware, ToolWiz Care matches paid for tools like CyberScrub and is a decent alternative to CCleaner and Advanced System Care. I would recommend it for advanced and beginner users alike, not only you get rid of junk files, securely wipe data and can create encrypted virtual drives using a single tool, ToolWiz Care also analyses your computer showing accurate information about all the processes going on (CPU temperature, RAM, Startup report, etc) which will help you troubleshoot any problems.

The cherry on the cake has to be the integrated “Eyes Care” utility that optionally warns users to take a break from their computer after X time.

Visit ToolWiz Care homepage

 Mac computers, like Windows, will get cluttered with needless and redundant files over the time, you can speed up a Mac computer running slowly getting rid of the junk. CleanGenius is a free application that will help you erase needless data (mainly logs). After installation a bar chart in the Menu bar will display amount of free disk space left, including attached devices, the app will automatically warn you if you have less than 10% of free disk space left.

A click on the bar chart lets you access CleanGenius preferences from where you can choose to clean Mac OS X system cache, user cache, system logs, user logs, user download folder and trash. After the redundant files have been erased you are told the number of cleaned items and recovered space, CleanGenius can be set up to automatically erase the downloads folder and trash can.

Free computer junk cleaner CleanGenius

A paid version of this app lets you set up a custom disk space value alarm and eject mounted drives with a single click, it doesn’t seem that the features are worth paying for it, and as for the free app, it doesn’t do a thorough job at cleaning all Mac OS X junk files, there will still be plenty of temporary files left from external applications in your hard drive, but you can use CleanGenius as a hard drive space monitor and for mild junk file cleaning.

If you need a serious Mac OS X junk file cleaner, I would advise you MacPaw CleanMyPC, but it isn’t free.

Visit CleanGenius homepage