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1991-02-23
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6KB
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113 lines
SECURASE -- Security Eraser
By Kevin A. Kwast
Version 2.1
Requirements: MS-DOS 2.0 or later running on an IBM or compatible PC.
At least 30 kilobytes of free RAM, although the best
performance will be obtained if there is 60k RAM.
The second release of SE was put into Shareware on November 9, 1990;
two years after its original release. The idea for this program was
suggested in the Public Brand Software catalog (Volume 4, Number 3)
and my entry into their contest was SE.EXE. Security Eraser won the
contest and has been distributed by Public Brand Software as well as
through normal Shareware means. I've had several businesses and
individuals register their usage with me, and in November, I rewrote
the entire program, resulting in some great speed increases. The
second release is functionally identical to the first release. Now,
version 2.1 released February 23, 1991, fixes a small problem with
the read-only attribute checking that existed in version 2.0.
SE means Security Eraser, and it is well named. SE erases files,
but also overwrites them the same way the U.S. Military protects
it's erased files. Every file SE deletes is first overwritten with
binary 0s, then with binary 1s, and then finally overwritten with a
random pattern of binary ones and zeros. When SE is done, the file
is deleted -- but also unrecoverable. Most unerasing utilities will
not even attempt to bring back a file killed with SE, and those that
try will bring back an overwritten and completely unusable file. The
second release will also change the name of the erased file and set
the file size to 0 for even more privacy as to the identity of the
deleted file.
SE.EXE is just over 7k in size, and runs very quickly. On my 386SX
it will kill 9 files totalling 2.1 megabytes from my hard drive in
8 seconds, compared to 119 seconds with the old version! The only
drawback to the new buffering system is that SE now requires 30k RAM
and runs best with 60k RAM, whereas the first release only required
20k RAM. However, since a PC with less than 60k free RAM isn't a
very useful PC, I'm not worried about the increased memory needs for
the buffers.
SE is user-friendly. It tells you your mistakes in English, not in
a run-time error code. If you don't tell it what file to erase, it
informs you of that fact and tells you about the program's usage.
Run SE like this: SE <file specification> <parameters>
Where <file specification> is the name of the file or file mask you
want to be killed, and <parameters> is a list of option codes. You
can get a list of the possible parameters by running SE with nothing
on the command line. The possible parameters are:
/H enables killing of "hidden" files
/S enables killing of "system" files
/R enables killing of "read-only" files
/A enables killing of ALL file types
/P turns the "Really Kill It?" questions off
Be very careful when killing *.*, especially if you selected /P.
You don't want to Security Erase any files that you wanted to keep.
FILES KILLED BY SECURITY ERASER CANNOT BE BROUGHT BACK!
************************************************************************
* Security Eraser and this documentation are Copyrighted (C) 1991 *
* by Kevin A. Kwast. Feel free to pass this program around, as *
* long as this documentation and the program stay together, and *
* neither is changed in any way. *
************************************************************************
I cannot be responsible for the misuse of this software or any damages
caused by this software. This software works flawlessly in every test
I've run on it, but I cannot be held liable for any damages which you
think SE might have caused. Sorry. If you have any problems with SE,
please let me know so I can make SE as error-free as possible.
If you do not get the Public Brand Software catalog, you ought to!
Call Public Brand Software at 1-800-426-DISK.
SE.EXE has been compressed using Fabrice Bellard's utility, LZEXE,
which compresses an EXEcutable file and still allows it to run
properly. This file will not archive or compress well because it
is already compressed, and should cause no problems. This also
helps prevent unauthorized alteration of the SE.EXE file.
If you have any questions or comments on SE, please write me! And
since this is Shareware, I have to put my little plead in here...
If you enjoy and make use of Shareware, please register with the
author. Shareware gives you a chance to look at good programs
cheaply, but authors put a lot of work into their software, and
you are encouraged to register your copy with the author by
sending a small fee.
The only fee I request is a letter; however, money will certainly
not be refused! Write me a quick note and stick a five-dollar
bill in there. Seal the envelope and mail it to:
KEVIN A. KWAST
P.O. Box 1397
Coppell, TX 75019
If you are using TYPE to read this, and it scrolls by too fast, hit
CONTROL-S to pause it. To print this file, at the dos prompt type:
COPY SE.DOC LPT1: