"Smash Your Hard Drive" To Fight Identity Theft 527
Will Do This For Free writes "BBC News has a story about the only fireproof way of safeguarding your personal information when dumping your old computer: 'It sounds extreme, but the only way to be 100% safe is to smash your hard drive into smithereens. [...] The more thoroughly the better.'
This sounds like so much fun that I almost feel like doing it right now. Let me press Submit Story first."
"The only fireproof way of safeguarding your data" (Score:5, Funny)
Nuke it from space (Score:5, Funny)
In other news (Score:1, Funny)
In other news: sky still blue, water still wet, pope still catholic.
Re:I find a Magnet Works (Score:3, Funny)
Kindness (Score:5, Funny)
You'll have to excuse me. I'm need to go protect my ex-wife from identity theft.
Cool method (Score:3, Funny)
"It sounds extreme, but the only way to be 100% safe is to smash your hard drive into smithereens."
And I know of a great [tinypic.com] way to do that.
An Alternative Approach... (Score:5, Funny)
Smash An Identity Thief.
My method (Score:2, Funny)
I fill mine with concrete and drop them in the ocean. Stuffed inside an informant, of course.
Nobody will be getting more information from either one.
I am intrigued by the clever use of a hammer in the video, I may have to modify my method slightly.
Windows Vista (Score:2, Funny)
Re:saveguarding, eh? (Score:5, Funny)
It would certainly make smashing a hard drive to smithereens more interesting.
I wouldn't recommend it though. The paranoia you'd need to decide smashing a hard drive was the best way of preserving your identity would likely make it a pretty harsh trip.
Try crystal meth instead. The aggression and hyperactivity'd make be damn sure that HDD was properly smashed.
Re:Environmentally criminal! (Score:5, Funny)
The funny part, 90% of those people that understand smash, will not smash it enough.
Another 5% will enjoy it so much that they will do the same thing to their new computer, the TV and the next door neighbours car.
Re:RBFH (Score:3, Funny)
RBFH - is that "Really Big F**king Hammer?"
Re:"The only fireproof way of safeguarding your da (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Or make it reusable... (Score:5, Funny)
Nothing beats an afternoon of watching dBan and a comfy chair. Beer or whisky optional.
dBan sounds cool. So I put it on a disk and ran it. It really doesn't look that special. My computer won't turn on now.
Re:Just told my brother this (Score:5, Funny)
His PC died due to dust accumulation (fried mobo, dead power supply, fused RAM) and he asked me what to do with his system. I told him the only thing he needed to worry about was his HD. Told him to drill a few holes in the drive, use a blowtorch in those holes if he still had one (he used to work in home remodeling), smash the drive with a hammer and put it in a bag with his used cat litter (they have two cats).
If someone is desperate enough to want the information on his drive, they're going to have to work for it.
Well that depends, what breed of cat?
Re:RBFH (Score:5, Funny)
RBFH - is that "Really Big F**king Hammer?"
Damn, I just bought a BFH to smash some walls. I wonder if I can upgrade with a serial number?
Re:I find a Magnet Works (Score:4, Funny)
Just zero the disk once and odds are that will be more than good enough for any of your personal data, unless you are the fucking president or something.
"Can you guys recover my data?"
"Yes we can!"
Give the disk to my girlfriend . . . (Score:5, Funny)
. . . and tell her to put it in a safe place, and that you might need it later.
It's gone forever.
There is no chance that anyone will ever have access to that disk again.
Re:Just told my brother this (Score:3, Funny)
Well that depends, what breed of cat?
Civet of course - you then get to enjoy the coffee.
Re:Whats the problem with... (Score:5, Funny)
Come on people! Zeroing a disk drive only removes half of your data. The other half is unchanged and still perfectly readable!
Re:Whats the problem with... (Score:5, Funny)
Exactly! You have to XOR every bit! :)
Re:saveguarding, eh? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:DOD Guidlines. Re:"The only fireproof (Score:5, Funny)
.. and that's how the Pentium bug came into existence.
Re:Kindness (Score:5, Funny)
So she uses ReiserFS?
Perfect solution (Score:4, Funny)
Put your hard drive in a sock, and toss it in the dryer with a matching sock. You have a 50% chance of it disappearing into an alternate universe, never to be seen again.
Re:DOD Guidlines. Re:"The only fireproof (Score:5, Funny)
You're just jealous because you don't have a tank.
Admit it.
Too Simple (Score:1, Funny)
Re:"The only fireproof way of safeguarding your da (Score:5, Funny)
Re:"The only fireproof way of safeguarding your da (Score:5, Funny)
Re:DOD Guidlines. Re:"The only fireproof (Score:1, Funny)
1. Perform a triple overwrite security erase on the entire disk.
2. Use a bulk degausser (AKA a powerful electro magnet).
3. Crush the drive under a roller or tank tracks, whichever is more convenient.
4. Melt the scrap into slag.
5. Bury that Slag in a toxic waste dump to deter any attempts at data recovery.
6. ?????
7. PROFIT!!!
Re:Whats the problem with... (Score:4, Funny)
Exactly! But I do it twice for additional protection.
Re:DOD Guidlines. Re:"The only fireproof (Score:5, Funny)
Having a tank would make technical support a lot more satisfying:
C: "Hello, is this technical support?"
M: "Yes. May I help you?"
C: "There's a big black thing where my Internet Windower Vista should be"
M: "Very well sir. Did you turn your computer on?"
C: "....is that under the start menu?"
*rumble rumble*.....BOOM!
Comment removed (Score:3, Funny)
Re:DOD Guidlines. Re:"The only fireproof (Score:3, Funny)
Those data recovery people are pretty savvy. They just recovered the 18 1/2 minute gap on the Nixon tapes. It is Nixon listening to Alice's Restaurant by Arlo Guthrie.
Re:No you don't. (Score:3, Funny)