File shredding (secure deletion) algorithm











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Does anyone see anything wrong with this? I was considering using something like srm or wipe and use os.system to call it from Python code. Should I do that?



My main concern is drives and filesystems that use wear leveling. But even if the program overwrites a portion of the file that should render it useless right? And with the file renamed, there should be no way to tell what the file was.



import random
import os

def wipe(f, passes=30):
if not os.path.isfile(f):
return "Could not find the specified file!"
with open(f, "ba+") as f2w:
size = f2w.tell()
for i in range(passes):
f2w.seek(0)

f2w.write(os.urandom(size))
new_name = str(random.randint(1000,1000000000000))
os.rename(f, new_name)
os.remove(new_name)
return "Success!"









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    up vote
    2
    down vote

    favorite












    Does anyone see anything wrong with this? I was considering using something like srm or wipe and use os.system to call it from Python code. Should I do that?



    My main concern is drives and filesystems that use wear leveling. But even if the program overwrites a portion of the file that should render it useless right? And with the file renamed, there should be no way to tell what the file was.



    import random
    import os

    def wipe(f, passes=30):
    if not os.path.isfile(f):
    return "Could not find the specified file!"
    with open(f, "ba+") as f2w:
    size = f2w.tell()
    for i in range(passes):
    f2w.seek(0)

    f2w.write(os.urandom(size))
    new_name = str(random.randint(1000,1000000000000))
    os.rename(f, new_name)
    os.remove(new_name)
    return "Success!"









    share|improve this question


























      up vote
      2
      down vote

      favorite









      up vote
      2
      down vote

      favorite











      Does anyone see anything wrong with this? I was considering using something like srm or wipe and use os.system to call it from Python code. Should I do that?



      My main concern is drives and filesystems that use wear leveling. But even if the program overwrites a portion of the file that should render it useless right? And with the file renamed, there should be no way to tell what the file was.



      import random
      import os

      def wipe(f, passes=30):
      if not os.path.isfile(f):
      return "Could not find the specified file!"
      with open(f, "ba+") as f2w:
      size = f2w.tell()
      for i in range(passes):
      f2w.seek(0)

      f2w.write(os.urandom(size))
      new_name = str(random.randint(1000,1000000000000))
      os.rename(f, new_name)
      os.remove(new_name)
      return "Success!"









      share|improve this question















      Does anyone see anything wrong with this? I was considering using something like srm or wipe and use os.system to call it from Python code. Should I do that?



      My main concern is drives and filesystems that use wear leveling. But even if the program overwrites a portion of the file that should render it useless right? And with the file renamed, there should be no way to tell what the file was.



      import random
      import os

      def wipe(f, passes=30):
      if not os.path.isfile(f):
      return "Could not find the specified file!"
      with open(f, "ba+") as f2w:
      size = f2w.tell()
      for i in range(passes):
      f2w.seek(0)

      f2w.write(os.urandom(size))
      new_name = str(random.randint(1000,1000000000000))
      os.rename(f, new_name)
      os.remove(new_name)
      return "Success!"






      python file file-system






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      edited 52 mins ago









      Jamal

      30.2k11115226




      30.2k11115226










      asked Jan 27 at 13:44









      scripter

      514




      514



























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