Secure Hard Drive Deletion Appliance?

An anonymous reader asks "I am searching for a box into which I can plug a hard drive (IDE or SCSI of various flavors) and automatically begin a secure deletion process (DoD 2250 compliant or the like would be good). This is normally for dead drives which need to be RMA-ed. Because of various regulations (HIPAA for starters), we need to at least attempt to do a good job clearing the disk. I've heard from a number of places, including this Slashdot story, that degaussing isn't great. There are software solutions out there, but in general, I want to toss a replacement hard drive in and not have to hunt around for hardware to put the bad drive in in order to run the software. Given the right case, a solid state drive, some SCSI cards and one of various pieces of software, I can imagine such a beast. Has anyone seen someone selling something like this?" No case-opening is necessary to use a USB/IDE converter, which might be a good middle ground. Any other ideas?

Home Depot

[Sebastopol]

...44 Oz. Framing Hammer.

Just explain to the RMA operator how you work for a "major construction contracting firm"...

Drill Press

[LighthouseJ]

Hard drives are so cheap that you can just destroy the hard drive with a drill press. Afterall, they say construction workers that demolish buildings have the highest job satisfaction, you can get your own taste of that.

I have..

[Heem]

I have such a machine. I call it "Sledge Hammer"

also a great stress relief tool, ala "Office Space"

Re:Question Mark ...

[Anonymous Coward]

Your post is like an Oreo cookie, the stuff in the middle is good, but what is with the crap at the top and the bottom? ;)

Re:Drill Press

[Ingolfke]

Have you every tried to use a drill press on a hard drive that is being used? Man... neither have I, but when you do send me the pictures, ok.

use the shotgun method.

[Geekboy(Wizard)]

load it into a skeet shoot device, launch it, and shoot it with a shotgun. repeat until its blown up good.

This will not work...

[CupBeEmpty]

...I am fairly certain that the only way to get this done is by causing the IDE hard drive to fall from a metal catwalk into liquid metal. I tried using liquid nitrogen and a hammer once but when I woke up in the morning the hard drive was reconstituted back inside my box and all the data was intact.

I am pretty sure that SATA drives need a priest, holy water, a crucifix, and a copy of the Roman rituals.

And I just use a shotgun (or chainsaw) on my CD-RW's because the only way to stop them is by "removing the head, or destroying the brain."

I say...

[Anonymous Coward]

I say we take off and EMP nuke them from space. It's the only way to be sure.

Re:Question Mark ...

[SquadBoy]

One of my jobs in the Air Force was destroying classified drives. This was almost ten years ago and we were much more thorough even back then. Think things that go "boom". I *really* miss that part of the job.

Re:Uh, if the hard drive is dead

[drinkypoo]

Dead is boolean. You are either dead, or you are not dead. There is no "mostly dead" like in The Princess Bride. The closest you get is "almost dead", which we call dying. Attempts to call a hard drive which still works "dead" will be met with contempt by more reasonable people.

Re:Still Risky

[Anonymous Coward]

Good point. Personally, I have an atomic level reading device implanted in my thumb for just such scenarios, but I have to admit that it taxes even my home beowulf cluster to do the decodes later. If you have the drive in one hand, it seems you could use your free hand to simply kill the other guy and steal the drive, which takes us back to the submitter's original problem, non?

Re:A smashed drive tells no tales

[SYFer]

Might I suggest the Wilton 20003 12 lb. Unbreakable Double Faced Sledge Hammer? [amazon.com] At 12 pounds and with a shock absorbing handle, you'll find this fully OSHA-compliant device will serve your needs admirably.

And yes, this most certainly IS an Amazon affiliate link. I believe that if the submitter or other government officials purchase this mission-critical security appliance, I am entitled to my consulting fee. As for the parent poster, well... Uh, I'll buy him a beer when the windfall from this new sledge hammer gig comes rolling in.

Re:Data destruction.

[andreyw]

And given that this will be done by a business, I suppose they won't choke on the ridiculous idea of buying an expen$ive, shiny Unix workstation just to trash it's OS and put an OSS alternative on it?

Sorry folks... I love Linux, I love Macs - but the last thing I will do is by an Apple TO RUN LINUX ON IT. Damn.

Here is a clue - $500 gets you an up-to-date Sempron Socket-A computer or an okay Socket 764 AMD-64 computer you can run Linux on. Fo' real, yo.

Re:You could have...

[switcha]

use custom face-removing software so that someone can't reconstruct what your face looks like from the 3d data

Too late, [bbc.co.uk]man. They already did it.

Re:Uhh

[anthony_dipierro]

You can't RMA the bits.

Why not? Just say it fell down some stairs.

Re:Still Risky

[Anonymous Coward]

Having bought a Dell computer at Wal-Mart, I know everything about DoD hard drive disposal, and I advise you to keep the original.

Re:A stick welder and cutting rod does it for me

[SYFer]

Well then, my good man, may I interest you in the U.S. Forge G9123 Leather Welding Apron w/ 42" Bib [amazon.com]?

SYFer Data Security Associates
Proudly Serving the Public Sector Since 2005

Re:Still Risky Indeed

[AHumbleOpinion]

Drilled? Couldn't we just paint them black and use them as targets on the 100yd range until enough data is removed?

Re:A smashed drive tells no tales

[Anonymous Coward]

Why it's Ribomucleic Acid of course.

Re:A smashed drive tells no tales

[focitrixilous P]

Allow me to embrace and extended.

The sledge hammer is the linux style solution. More work than is needed, what you need is user convience. Sledgehammers will tire you out, you don't want to do that all day long. What you need is the Remington 870 pump action shotgun. [remington.com] Available in assorted sizes and gauges, the 870 can erase as many as 5 hard drives in a single loading. The 870 comes in 12 gauge, 28 inch barrel for those SCSI drives, down to a .410 shotgun for those hard to wipe flash drives.

For maximum assurance of data erasure, the 870 cannot be beaten. Be sure to use number 3 shot or larger. Also available in left handed. [remington.com]

The Remington Gauge system follows the approved national standard, to avoid vendor lock-in. Shells from all competitors will function, though Remington shells are recommended for best preformance. Never doubt if your data was securely erased or not ever again! Come to Remington Country.

Re:Still Risky Indeed

[binarybum]

I may just be losing my mind.

uh-oh Were you in the military? If so, get cranial CT-scan, check for five equidistant holes. =)

Re:A smashed drive tells no tales

[gormanly]

Nice OS analogy: allow me to embrace and extend.

The sledgehammer is a simple, solid and effective tool, yet requires a modest degree of effort. It is available everywhere there is human settlement, is cheap, and has no running costs. A sledgehammer never requires any form of licence or permit to use. It also just works.

A pump-action shotgun may be easier for the lazy or weak to use; it may even be more fun. It certainly makes it easier to harm your neighbours, or shoot yourself in the foot. Remind you of anything?

Re:A smashed drive tells no tales

[Anonymous Coward]

The chance that you will miss is too great for this to be a secure method. I recommend the Wile. E. Coyote method:
Suspend an anvil over the edge of a cliff. Do not fall off of the cliff. Make sure the edge of the cliff won't break off. Make sure the suspension method is simple and secure. Do not let the anvil fall while it is above you. Do not test the suspension method by jumping on the anvil.
Attach a string to the hard drive, and drag the hard drive under the anvil. Do not walk under the anvil. Make sure a large red X is placed in the right location. Drag the hard drive onto the big red X, and let it stay there. Do not walk under the anvil. Cut the rope suspending the anvil. Do not stand on the anvil or near the edge of the cliff. Do not let the ground you're standing on fall while the anvil stays in place. Make sure the anvil falls on the hard drive.
Once the anvil misses the hard drive, find some dynomite...
Something having to do with a cannon...
Do not let the hard drive say "Meep Meep" and run away...

Re:A smashed drive tells no tales

[Anonymous Coward]

Good process--we implemented something like that where I work and, although I do not work for them or in any way mean to sound like a shill, the ACME corporation was our vendor of choice for the hardware involved. Check 'em out.