Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Data Recovery & Solid State

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the oops-sorry-you're-screwed dept.

theoverlay writes "With all of the recent hype about solid-state drives in both consumer applications and enterprise environments I have a real concern about data recovery on these devices. I know there are services for flash memory restoration but has anyone been involved in data restoration projects on ssd drives? What are the limits and circumstances that have surfaced so far? What tools will law enforcement and government use to retrieve data for investigations and the like?"

15 of 249 comments (clear)

  1. Such tools as... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    What tools will law enforcement and government use to retrieve data for investigations and the like?"

    Waterboarding, tasers, sleep deprivation, bright lights and loud obnoxious music.

    1. Re:Such tools as... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      I like loud obnoxious music you insensitive clod!

    2. Re:Such tools as... by urcreepyneighbor · · Score: 5, Funny

      Waterboarding, tasers, sleep deprivation, bright lights and loud obnoxious music. Sounds like my last date. :(
      --
      "The fight for freedom has only just begun." - Geert Wilders
    3. Re:Such tools as... by ari_j · · Score: 4, Funny

      No wonder she never called back.

    4. Re:Such tools as... by Nodamnnicknamesavial · · Score: 4, Funny

      Wow, Kenny G will have a busy schedule for the next few years.

      --
      I have spoken'eth.
    5. Re:Such tools as... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      And I like insensitive music you obnoxious clod!

  2. Honk! Honk! by tripwirecc · · Score: 3, Funny

    I'd figure the same as with regular harddisks apply. One pass and gone the data is.

    1. Re:Honk! Honk! by Hal_Porter · · Score: 5, Funny

      How do we know you're not an NSA mole, paid to persuade us that one pass is enough? Or maybe your experts are an NSA moles and they've tricked you.

      --
      echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
    2. Re:Honk! Honk! by uncqual · · Score: 4, Funny

      I believe the requested feature is best implemented in the file system layer rather than the physical media layer (SSD vs. HD).

      There is a good proof-of-concept available (but it currently works only for wives) that could probably be easily enhanced to implement the mother-in-law eraser function (actually, perhaps it's already there, I've not used Reiser4 much).

      --
      Why is there an "insightful" mod and why isn't it "-1"? If I wanted insight, I wouldn't be reading /.
    3. Re:Honk! Honk! by someone1234 · · Score: 2, Funny

      Hmm, so you practically double or treble your disk capacity, considering you can safely recover data using software tools after 1 or 2 overwrites?

      Why isn't this method on the market yet ?

      --
      Patents Drive Free Software as Hurricanes Drive Construction Industry
  3. Use the gForce by carpe_noctem · · Score: 5, Funny

    Ask Slashdot: For when you've got time to write up a whole paragraph, but not a 5-word google search...

    Google results, which seem rather informative

    --
    "Quoting famous computer scientists out of context is the root of all evil (or at least most of it) in programming." - K
  4. Re:Secure erase by darthflo · · Score: 3, Funny

    If it doesn't, move to Europe. 230V will kill more.

  5. Re:SSDs have one infallible data recovery option by sm62704 · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...criminal cases where data was intentionally lost

    You can completely and unretrievable wipe data from both paper and disk drives. With paper, shredding is no good but a single match or Bic will do the trick. Cheaper than a shredder, too. With a disk drive, just disassemble it and sand off all the oxide. Or alternatively, if you have a smelter or other really really hot mass of molten metal, you can just drop the thing in there. The smelter option works for CDs and tape as well.

    Or you can bury it in the bridge abutment your construction company is building with tax dollars, right next to Jimmy Hoffa.

    Oh oh, am I on my way to Gitmo now?

    -mcgrew

    (still no journal although the last one was updated Friday. Mod me down for this?)

    --
    mcgrew's razor: Never attribute to stupidity that which can be explained by greedy self-interest
  6. Re:Destroying sensitive data by DarkSarin · · Score: 2, Funny

    Yes, but what does a microwave do to a HDD? Of course, the HDD does have the reverse damage feedback spell enabled, so it will probably kill the microwave too, but if you were in a hurry to kill sensitive data, that's a risk I'd take...

    Telling the gov't why your HDD was in the microwave might be a little trickier...

    --
    "We don't know what we are doing, but we are doing it very carefully,..." Wherry, R.J. Personnel Psychology (1995)
  7. Re:well that makes it easy by dotancohen · · Score: 4, Funny

    Just put your drug deals, k1dd13 pr0n, and terrorist plans in a file called attorneyconfidential.doc. What's wrong with attorneyconfidential.odf? Not everyone has MS Office, you insensitive clod!
    --
    It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.