The problem with simply pressing 'Delete' to remove files is that the files remain on your disks, only the file addresses are removed. Therefore, anyone who wants to recover the data can do so without too much hassle. Eraser is deservedly popular, and not only because it's free. Its big benefit is that when you delete files from your disks, Eraser makes sure that they're really gone. Eraser overwrites your files with carefully selected random patterns, so that they're impossible to recover. You can use the program in two ways: on demand, or on schedule. If you choose 'on demand', simply right-click on a file in Explorer and choose Eraser, or drag and drop files onto the Eraser window. The Eraser Scheduler erases the files you select (such as your Internet Explorer cache) on a schedule, so you can choose a time when you're not using your machine. If you're not sure whether you need Eraser, ask yourself whether you have data you want to keep safe, such as passwords, financial information, classified documents from work and personal information. Eraser is particularly useful for anyone upgrading to a new computer, allowing you to make sure that all the data on your old machine is completely gone before you sell the machine.

Keep your sensitive data safe from snoopers by erasing it completely when you no longer need it.