Secure Delete Simulator
Visualize secure file deletion methods with animated overwrite patterns
Simulated File
Data Visualization
Deletion Methods Explained
Overwrites data with a single pattern (zeros, ones, or random). Basic but may leave residual data on some storage media.
Pass 1: Zeros, Pass 2: Ones, Pass 3: Random data. A simplified version suitable for most scenarios.
US Department of Defense standard. Alternates between specific patterns and their complements, ending with random data.
Most thorough method with 35 overwrite patterns designed to defeat magnetic force microscopy. Considered overkill for modern drives.
Important Considerations
Traditional overwrite methods are ineffective on SSDs due to wear leveling. Use manufacturer-provided secure erase or full disk encryption.
For HDDs, a single random pass is sufficient according to NIST SP 800-88. Multiple passes are mainly useful for older magnetic media.
Use full disk encryption (BitLocker, FileVault, LUKS) from the start. Deleting the encryption key effectively destroys all data instantly.
This tool demonstrates secure deletion concepts visually. It does not actually delete any files on your system.
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