Flash drives dangerously hard to purge of sensitive data

[Student26]

In research that has important findings for banks, businesses and security buffs everywhere, scientists have found that computer files stored on solid state drives are sometimes impossible to delete using traditional disk-erasure techniques.

Even when the next-generation storage devices show that files have been deleted, as much as 75 percent of the data contained in them may still reside on the flash-based drives, according to the research, which is being presented this week at the Usenix FAST 11 conference in California. In some cases, the SSDs, or sold-state drives, incorrectly indicate the files have been "securely erased" even though duplicate files remain in secondary locations.

The difficulty of reliably wiping SSDs stems from their radically different internal design. . .

The researchers found the most effective way to sanitize data on SSDs was to use devices that encrypted their contents. Wiping happens by deleting the encryption keys from what's known as the key store, effectively ensuring that the data will remain encrypted forever.

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[Raymond]

Thanks for the information. Without these "scientist" testing it, we wouldn't know about it.

[Bearcat]

Thanks Student! This is very good to know, as I am thinking about adding an SSD to my PC.

[LizardMan]

Thank you for the information. I'm more interested at SSD performance than it's security; I don't own "TOP SECRET" files on my PC

[INDRANIL]

Informative one going to read this. Thanks Student .

[Boyfriend]

Thanks Student26 for interesting and informative finding It seems that electrons (SSD) are tough to control than magnet (HDD)

[BigGuy]

Thanks Student! This is very good to know, as I am thinking about adding an SSD to my PC.

I think LizardMan is right and still think we should try a SSD in the new PC, but just use it for running the OS.

[Bearcat]

I think LizardMan is right and still think we should try a SSD in the new PC, but just use it for running the OS.

Sounds like a good plan to me!

[Student26]

Thanks Student26 for interesting and informative finding It seems that electrons (SSD) are tough to control than magnet (HDD)

yup - it is all in the quantum mechanics.

[Ceyfer √]

The difficulty of reliably wiping SSDs stems from their radically different internal design.

The SSD infrastructure is not really design to be secure but rather optimized for usability. What about its life expectancy?