secure-delete on ReactOS

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reactosuser7
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secure-delete on ReactOS

Post by reactosuser7 »

I found this useful unix utilities and I was wondering if they could be ported to ReactOS and be by default.
Its developer has no interest in Windows porting.

https://github.com/gordonrs/thc-secure-delete
florian
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Location: Germany

Re: secure-delete on ReactOS

Post by florian »

Why should ReactOS port it? It would absorb scarce resources of our developers...

Here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_d ... g_software is a list of utilities for performing data erasure - including MS Windows.
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dizt3mp3r
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Re: secure-delete on ReactOS

Post by dizt3mp3r »

The idea is not to bundle every useful utility into ReactOS that we possibly can, (bloat, extended support, incompatibility &c). The dev team incorporates useful open source code that achieves a goal, notably a step toward Windows 2003 compatibility and stability. When that is done the team can include other useful code or not as it wishes.

At this stage functioning file systems seem desirable rather than enhancements to those that don't.
Skillset: VMS,DOS,Windows Sysadmin from 1985, fault-tolerance, VaxCluster, Alpha,Sparc. DCL,QB,VBDOS- VB6,.NET, PHP,NODE.JS, Graphic Design, Project Manager, CMS, Quad Electronics. classic cars & m'bikes. Artist in water & oils. Historian.
florian
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Location: Germany

Re: secure-delete on ReactOS

Post by florian »

thc-secure-delete by gordonrs is an Unix (!) and not a MS Windows application...

Try https://eraser.heidi.ie/. Its source code is released under GNU General Public License and it is still developed.

"Eraser is an advanced security tool for Windows which allows you to completely remove sensitive data from your hard drive [...]. Eraser is currently supported under Windows XP (with Service Pack 3), Windows Server 2003 (with Service Pack 2), Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, 8, 10 and Windows Server 2012."
reactosuser7
Posts: 86
Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2016 11:53 pm

Re: secure-delete on ReactOS

Post by reactosuser7 »

Well.
Eraser is a complex software.
Version 6.0.10.2620 (the last that supports Windows XP and ReactOS) needs to install MS .NET Framework 3.5 SP1, that is 291 MB the installer and 6631 MB disk space needed to install.

Versions 6.2.0.2982 and 6.2.0.2971-NoRuntimes says that they are not a valid Win32 executable (they are for Windows 7 +) .

'Secure-delete' is just a few commands: 'srm', 'sdel' , 'sfill', 'smem' and 'sswap' . And its source code is not updated for years.
It could be great to have it ported to ReactOS one day...


If anyone has information about porting unix software to Windows, could you post here please?
karlexceed
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Re: secure-delete on ReactOS

Post by karlexceed »

reactosuser7 wrote:If anyone has information about porting unix software to Windows, could you post here please?
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/y23kc048.aspx
https://www.mkssoftware.com/docs/sg/uwpg_int.asp
https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/aix/ ... index.html
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/377 ... to-windows

But if you really want to do it, I can think of two simple approaches:
First, find yourself a build environment (an editor and compiler).
Then, replace all Unix-specific code with WIndows-specific code (or cross-platform code), and compile and see if it works. Fix any errors that show up.
OR
Try to compile it for Windows, and as errors show up, fix them one at a time until it compiles successfully.

Then, start testing to see if your utility is working as expected.
It's not rocket surgery, just tedious.
zydon
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Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2007 9:03 am

Re: secure-delete on ReactOS

Post by zydon »

I used to delete file(s) in windows with [Shift]+[Delete] keys combination to make it space available for overwritten. It can't be restore from Recycle Bin because it will not to be stored there and deleted instantly.

If you could in-cooperate Secure Delete with the same manner and working silently in background, it would be a splendid.
florian
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Location: Germany

Re: secure-delete on ReactOS

Post by florian »

reactosuser7 wrote:Eraser is a complex software. [...] If anyone has information about porting unix software to Windows, could you post here please?
True.

And your question (as well as your shown interest in porting an Unix application) is very honourable.
reactosuser7
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Re: secure-delete on ReactOS

Post by reactosuser7 »

Thanks for the info.
I will see if I am able to do it...
feldrim
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Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2007 4:07 pm

Re: secure-delete on ReactOS

Post by feldrim »

Why not use SDelete from Sysinternals? It sounds better than adding complexity to the core.
karlexceed
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Re: secure-delete on ReactOS

Post by karlexceed »

Good recommendation, but please don't revive two year old threads unnecessarily.
feldrim
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Re: secure-delete on ReactOS

Post by feldrim »

I was checking security related topics. Instead of submitting new posts, submitting replies to the existing ones sounded more reasonable. Ok, I'll keep a low profile then.
Walt
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Re: secure-delete on ReactOS

Post by Walt »

Eraser57 is probably still out there; it doesn't work under ROS -- gets an access violation. It's still alive after you clear the messages and doesn't seem to have done any damage to ROS but does not work.

I've used it many times under XP -- it's flexible, does the job.

Separate-but-relevant question: Are there guidelines for when to NOT restart an old discussion? I usually think it's better to do so if it's of current interest and the thread has relevant information -- this eliminates "We discussed this three years ago, see post ...." answers PLUS the subsequent discussion of whether or not old threads should be reopened.

NOT LOOKING to start that discussion here -- Only for a moderator to tell me "Yes, there are guidelines; see ..."

Every forum has this issue. Most of them have members on both sides of it. It's one of the issues I think about any time I answer a post that isn't up-to-the-second.

Edit: "Ok, I'll keep a low profile then." I for one would like to see MORE posts by users like Feldrim.

Edit again: To correct error about having used it under ROS in the past -- I have NOT. Current try is first.
Last edited by Walt on Sun Jan 05, 2020 12:38 am, edited 1 time in total.
learn_more
Developer
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Joined: Fri Dec 19, 2014 10:00 pm

Re: secure-delete on ReactOS

Post by learn_more »

feldrim wrote: Thu Jan 02, 2020 12:16 pm Why not use SDelete from Sysinternals? It sounds better than adding complexity to the core.
Try it, and if it works you can submit a PR to add it to rapps:
https://github.com/reactos/rapps-db
middings
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Re: secure-delete on ReactOS

Post by middings »

Walt wrote: Fri Jan 03, 2020 2:43 amSeparate-but-relevant question: Are there guidelines for when to NOT restart an old discussion?
A link to the ReactOS Forum Code of Conduct is located in the Announcements portion of every forum. Section 5 answers your question.
ReactOS Forum Code of Conduct wrote: Fri Apr 06, 2007 2:37 am5. Do not resurrect threads that are years old.

If the last post was years ago, chances are people have forgotten everything that was discussed. If you have points, restate them instead in your new opening post.
If the most recent post to the thread was made more than a year ago, I consider it a "years old" thread. That is my own understanding of the rule. I am not a moderator here.
Walt wrote: Fri Jan 03, 2020 2:43 amI usually think it's better to do so if it's of current interest and the thread has relevant information -- this eliminates "We discussed this three years ago, see post ...." answers PLUS the subsequent discussion of whether or not old threads should be reopened.
You may place a link to the old, dead thread in your post that creates your new thread. Avoid adding to the old thread.
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