Secure Delete utilities for Linux EXT3

[David A. Bandel]

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On Thu, 15 Apr 2004 16:00:27 +0200
Roger Oberholtzer <roger at opq.se> wrote:

> On Thu, 15 Apr 2004 06:28:32 -0500
> "David A. Bandel" <david at pananix.com> wrote:
> 
> > That's because you don't need it.  Folks that are concerned about
> > deleting files they may need can replace the rm command with a
> > function when they log in that does exactly what you are asking. 
> > Functions follow aliases in order of execution (so make sure you
> > don't have a full-pathed alias for rm) but are instantiated before a
> > call to a system binary.  So google for a program called saferm,
> > turn it into a function, and you'll have your Norton
> > safedelete/unerase capability.
> 
> Not quite. Say I have a compiled program (mine or someone else's) that
> makes and deletes files. And I do not want the files it creates to
> leave data on the disk after they are deleted. As a compiled program,
> it probably does not use 'rm'. It uses a system call. If I want ALL
> programs to have this

yes, it uses unlink() (I believe).  Anyway, we're talking about a person
(accidentally) deleting something they want, not a program that creates
and deletes files.  Why would you want to change it's behavior?  Your
argument makes no sense to me.

> capability, changing a compiled program like rm into some other
> program will not do it. You need intervention at the point it is done:
> the OS call to do this. Your solution will work for shell scripts and
> programs that oddly call programs to do system calls. In addition, how
> many programs can remove a file from the system? How many you do not
> know about or did not guess? All

No! you don't want to do that.  root would need a very large space to
maintain all that junk (if the program running as a daemon even know
where root's $HOME directory was).

> these would need to be replaced and maintained. The preload object
> simplifies this with a single, coherent, simple (it really is)
> addition of this capability. That everyone shares.

I don't want it shared.  That's why it's a function.  I use CVS.  I
don't also want a safe rm, but some others might.  This, like aliases,
is a personal user setting, not system-wide silliness to be thrust on
the unsuspecting (or unwilling) by the unknowing trying to do the
impossible for the ungrateful.

Ciao,

David A. Bandel
- -- 
Focus on the dream, not the competition.
		Nemesis Racing Team motto
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