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I have some extremely sensitive data on a computer, hard drive, and on a private server. I do not care about cost or method, as I have a lot of funds (though not unlimited) and I do not want to go through a third party data sanatization company. I also do not want to connect those things to internet because the time it is exposed will make it a target for mallard, Trojans, Spyware, etc. I need a wally that will completely destroy and delete the data. It should not be recoverable by any software or technology possible. I also would like a way that is more reliable and secure than physical destruction. That could work, if I hit it with nitroglycerin, throw it in acid, burn it, melt it, then spread the pieces around the world, but that would take a lot of time and I would like a quick way.

What way will make all data irreversibly unrecoverable while leaving no evidence of it ever existing?

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  • Somewhat. I don't know if that is secure enough for my purposes. I would need to really have a super high level of destruction to do it... and I'm not sure if it is 100% secure or why.
    – Jeff jeff
    Oct 17, 2022 at 19:09

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Physically destroy the drive.

Smash it to bits, drill holes in it, cut it in up with an acetylene torch, melt it with thermite, whatever you fancy.

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  • This works well, but it might now work well enough for me. I need the data to be irrecoverable completely, and there will still be traces of it existing (the slag, pieces, etc.
    – Jeff jeff
    Oct 17, 2022 at 19:14
  • @Jeffjeff are you saying that you believe that an any data on magnetic or solid state drive can survive a 2500C thermite reaction? What are you basing that on?
    – Gh0stFish
    Oct 17, 2022 at 19:18
  • The outer shell is solid tungsten carbide.
    – Jeff jeff
    Oct 17, 2022 at 19:21
  • I'm not sure that I can do that without using high end weaponry, which is the one thing I can't get
    – Jeff jeff
    Oct 17, 2022 at 19:22
  • @Jeffjeff you've got a hard drive inside a tungsten carbide case? That's...unusual. Either way, cut in in half and melt the bits.
    – Gh0stFish
    Oct 17, 2022 at 19:24
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Assuming we are talking about a traditional spinning platter hard disk drive: unscrew the disk housing completely then score the surfaces of the platters as much as you want in both complete radial lines and also circles. Put them into a burning brazier when finished.

Of course you could do this instead of zeroing all the data but you can do the whole lot depending on how paranoid you are.

SSD? Remove memory chips from housing and blend.

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  • Please refrain from using the word paranoid. Use something like privacy-oriented or privacy-minded, or how confidential your data is...
    – Sir Muffington
    Oct 17, 2022 at 19:13
  • There would still be traces left of it existing. It's a good idea though.
    – Jeff jeff
    Oct 17, 2022 at 19:14

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