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OS/2 Help File
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2000-01-13
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13KB
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291 lines
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1. Introduction ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Data Shield
Data Shield is the latest addition to the PillarSoft line of software solutions
for OS/2. Data Shield provides secure deletion of all your sensitive data. It
is important to know that merely deleting data does not actually remove the
information from your hard drive. It can still be recovered and your sensitive
data may be compromised.
Did you know?
Data deleted from your system may still exist on your drive and can be
recovered and reused? Even a quick format to a drive that is being resold does
not remove all data and the buyer could recover information that may be
sensitive to your situation. Was your financial information on that drive or
some important client database? An outsider can retrieve that information quite easily.
Data Shield offers to overwrite selected data before deletion so prying eyes
will not see what you don't want them to see. It offers a choice of overwriting
X number of times before deletion or delete to DOD specification. Data Shield
will handle all freespace on a drive, a complete drive, TMP & TEMP directories,
\DELETE directories, individual files, individual directories, directory trees,
as well as cleanup of the Netscape cache and it's history trails.
As usual, with most PillarSoft applications, much of Data Shield's work is
point and click, saving you the drudgery of locating your "TMP" directory or
"Netscape.hst", for example, manually. As much work as possible is ferreted out
by Data Shield automatically when the user asks for it.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2. General help ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
General help
What follows is a general listing of each "page" of Data Shield and an
explanation of it's selections.
WorkList
Drives
Directories
Files
Other
Method
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1. WorkList ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
The WorkList page
The WorkList displays all selections that have been made from the program that
are ready to be executed. It is split into two different worklist pages. A
"Standard" page and a "Secure" page.
Any item on either page may be removed from the WorkList by highlighting and
pressing the "Delete" key on the keyboard.
o The "Standard" page lists all actions that will receive a standard deletion
(without overwriting and security) or automatic editing. The only options
available for the "Standard" delete are listed on the Other page.
o The "Secure" page lists all actions that will receive a secure deletion
package or automatic editing. The only exception is when Data Shield is
editing an existing file as in the case of the Netscape "Go to" or
"Location" field erasure.
Always review the worklist to be sure that all work to be carried out is
exactly as you have planned. When you are satisfied that the listings are
correct and desireable you may click the "Begin processing worklists" button.
The secure delete method will always be equal to the last selection of method
settings made by the user.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.2. Drives ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
The Drives page
The Drives page allows the user to work with information pertaining only to the
currently selected drive. The drive selection is made from the "Drives"
combobox at the top of the page.
Group boxes on this page allow the user to:
Select extents
Select method
After selecting the extents and method for these operations the user must click
the "Continue" button to add these selections to the WorkList.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.2.1. Select extents ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Select extents
The "Select extents" choices on the Drives page apply only to the drive that is
currently selected from the Drives combobox listing at the top of the page.
Here are the choices provided:
o Clean and delete TMP & TEMP - will find any TMP or TEMP directories on the
current drive only and securely delete their contents according to your
method selection.
o Clean and delete "/DELETE" - will find any /DELETE directories on the root
of current drive only and securely delete it's contents according to your
method selection.
o Clean and delete all FreeSpace - will find all FreeSpace remaining on the
current drive only and securely delete it so no information can be
recovered from it. This effectively overwrites all previously deleted
files. Depending on the size of the FreeSpace available and the method
chosen, this can be a lengthy process.
o Clean and delete this drive (complete) - will overwrite and delete
everything on the current drive only and securely delete it so no
information can be recovered from it. This effectively overwrites all
previously deleted files as well as existing files. Depending on the size
of the drive and the method chosen, this can be a lengthy process.
Warning!
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.2.2. Select method ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Select Method
The "Select method" choices are updated each time there is a change to them.
Only the last selection is used for any secure delete action that takes place
following it. Here are the choices provided:
o Standard overwrite - will overwrite each selection of the WorkList with
null chars (0x00) before deletion. The user may choose to overwrite the
selection several times before deletion by adjusting the "Passes" spin button.
o DOD - will overwrite each selection of the WorkList with one pass of 0's,
four passes of 1's and one pass with a random character before final deletion.
The "Passes" spin button pertains only to the "Standard overwrite" selection as
mentioned above.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.3. Directories ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Directories
The directories page allow the user to select any directory on the system and
securely remove it's contents. The directory listings are controlled by the
Drives combobox at the top of the page.
To remove a directories contents (or a directory tree) you must:
o Select the drive it is located on in the Drives combobox at the top of the
page
o Browse through the directory structure to locate and highlight it.
o Decide whether you want a "Recursive" delete. (Recursive - Delete all
directory contents and all directories beneath it effectively removing the
complete directory tree)
o Click the "Continue" button to verify or select the method of deletion.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.4. Files ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Files
The Files page shows three buttons and a listbox. They are:
o Browse - Allows the user to select a file to operate on through the use of
a file dialog. Once selected the file appears in the listbox and the user
may continue to make selections.
o Filtered - Allows the user to enter a group of files to operate on
according to specification. ie: C:\OS2\Bitmaps\*.jpg Once selected the
filter information appears in the listbox and the user may continue to make
selections or add filters.
o Continue - Sends the contents of the listbox to the WorkList window and the
user to the method window to verify the deletion method to be used.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.5. Other ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Other
There are three sections to this page. The System & Temp directories choices,
the Netscape choices and the deletion type.
More information on the System & Temp directories.
More information on the Netscape choices.
Deletion Type
Because some of the selections on this page may not be sensitive information to
the user, there is a choice to delete information in one of two ways. The
"Standard" delete (as opposed to the "Standard" overwrite) or "Secure" delete.
"Standard" deletion without the overwrite is only available for choices on this
page. They are:
o TMP & TEMP directories (wherever they reside)
o "/DELETE" directories on all local drives
o Netscape browser caches
o Netscape history files
o Editing of Netscapes "Go To" or "Location" drop down listbox
Data Shield will search for information specific to each of Netscape versions
2.02, 4.04 and 4.61 and adjust it's work according to the version it is
operating on.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.5.1. System & Temp directories ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
System & Temp directories
The TMP & TEMP directories choice will include these directories as culled from
the environment settings of the system and do not depend on a drive choice. It
is possible to remove either of these from the WorkList before beginning to
process the listing.They will be located and operated on wherever they reside
on the system.
The "/DELETE" directories choice will include these directories as culled from
each local drive and do not depend on a drive choice. It is possible to remove
any of these from the WorkList before beginning to process the listing. They
will be located and operated on wherever they reside on the system.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.5.2. Netscape security ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Netscape Security
Data Shield will search for information specific to each of Netscape versions
2.02, 4.04 and 4.61 and adjust it's work according to the version it is
operating on.
It will find the cache of each version, the history file and the "Location"
drop down box information if it is in it's standard location for each version.
Selected parts or versions can be excluded from the WorkList by removing them
from the listing.
You may chose to do a Standard delete or a Secure delete on these items. In the
case of some items, it is a matter of editing the "ini" file or a "js" file and
as such, these files are NOT deleted but the material is removed from them.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3. Ordering ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Ordering
Data Shield is available from the good people at BMT Micro. BMT is found on the
web at http://www.bmtmicro.com
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4. Support ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Support
Email support: support@pillarsoft.net
On the web: http://www.pillarsoft.net
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5. Warnings and Tips ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Warnings and Tips
Warning: At the time of this writing, we have not tested overwriting FreeSpace
or a complete drive on a drive greater than 2 gigs in size. Please procede with
extreme caution and please do not attempt any work on a large drive containing
important information.
You may contact us to see if the testing is complete before attemping this.
Warning: It is possible when cleaning a drive or directory etc. that a file may
be in use and it will be met with varying success. It may not be possible to
overwrite or delete it until the user has stopped running a program that is
using it or has rebooted.