User manual ACRONIS DRIVECLEANSER 6.0

Acronis DriveCleanser User's Guide Copyright © Acronis, Inc., 2000-2005 Copyright © Acronis, Inc., 2000-2005. All rights reserved. Linux is a registered trademark owned by Linus Torvalds. Windows is a registered trademark owned by Microsoft Corporation. All other mentioned trademarks can be registered trademarks of their respective owners. Distribution of materials of this Guide both in original and/or edited form in published form (book) is forbidden unless prior special written permission from the author is obtained. THIS DOCUMENTATION IS PROVIDED «AS IS». THERE ARE NO EXPLICIT OR IMPLIED OBLIGATIONS, CONFIRMATIONS OR WARRANTIES, INCLUDING THOSE RELATED TO SOFTWARE MARKETABILITY AND SUITABILITY FOR ANY SPECIFIC PURPOSES, TO THE DEGREE OF SUCH LIMITED LIABILITY APPLICABLE BY LAW. END-USER LICENSE AGREEMENT BY ACCEPTING, YOU (ORIGINAL PURCHASER) INDICATE YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF THESE TERMS. IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO ACCEPT THE PRODUCT UNDER THESE TERMS, YOU CAN CHOOSE NOT TO ACCEPT BY SELECTING "I decline..." AND NOT INSTALLING THE SOFTWARE. Acronis DriveCleanser (the software) is Copyright © Acronis, Inc., 2000-2005. All rights are reserved. The ORIGINAL PURCHASER is granted a LICENSE to use the software only, subject to the following restrictions and limitations. 1. 2. The license is to the original purchaser only, and is not transferable without prior written permission from Acronis. The original purchaser can use the software on a single computer. You cannot use the software on more than one machine, even if you own or lease all of them, without the written consent of Acronis. The original purchaser cannot engage in, nor permit third parties to engage in, any of the following: Providing or permitting use of by, or transferring the software to, third parties. Providing use of the software in a computer service business, network, timesharing or multiple user arrangement to users who are not individually licensed by Acronis. Making alterations or copies of any kind in the software (except as specifically permitted above). Attempting to unassemble, decompile or reverse-engineer the software in any way. Granting sublicenses, leases or other rights in the software to others. Making copies, or verbal or media translations, of the users guide. Making telecommunication data transmission of the software. 3. A. B. C. D. E. F. G. Acronis has the right to terminate this license if there is a violation of its terms or default by the original purchaser. Upon termination for any reason, all copies of the software must be immediately returned to Acronis, and the original purchaser shall be liable to Acronis for any and all damages suffered as a result of the violation or default. ENTIRE RISK THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE SOFTWARE IS WITH YOU THE PURCHASER. ACRONIS DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE SOFTWARE OR ITS FUNCTIONS WILL MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS OR THAT THE OPERATION OF THE SOFTWARE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR FREE OR THAT ANY DEFECTS WILL BE CORRECTED. NO LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES IN NO EVENT SHALL ACRONIS OR ITS VENDORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES FOR THE LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, LOSS OF BUSINESS INFORMATION, OR ANY OTHER PECUNIARY LOSS) ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ACRONIS HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. Table of Contents INTRODUCTION 4 CHAPTER 1. INSTALLING ACRONIS DRIVECLEANSER AND GETTING STARTED8 1.1 ACRONIS DRIVECLEANSER SYSTEM PACKAGE .................................... 8 1.2 INSTALLATION...................................................................................... 8 1.3 REPAIRING/UPGRADING ACRONIS DRIVECLEANSER........................... 9 1.4 REMOVING THE SOFTWARE .................................................................. 9 1.5 USER INTERFACE .................................................................................. 9 CHAPTER 2. WIPING HARD DISKS WITH ACRONIS DRIVECLEANSER............. 11 2.1 USING PREDEFINED WIPING ALGORITHMS.......................................... 14 2.2 CREATING CUSTOM ALGORITHMS OF DATA DESTRUCTION................ 17 2.2.1 CREATING CUSTOM ALGORITHMS ...................................................... 17 2.2.2 ALGORITHM DEFINITION: TEMPLATE ................................................. 19 2.2.3 SAVING CUSTOM ALGORITHM TO FILE ............................................... 25 2.2.4 LOADING ALGORITHM FROM FILE ...................................................... 28 APPENDIX A. HARD DISK WIPING ALGORITHMS ............................................... 29 A.1 INFORMATION WIPING ALGORITHMS FUNCTIONING PRINCIPLES........ 29 A.2 ALGORITHMS USED BY ACRONIS DRIVECLEANSER........................... 30 Acronis DriveCleanser 3 Introduction About Acronis DriveCleanser Getting rid of an old PC, upgrading to a new hard drive, returning a leased computer, or redeploying a PC within your company? It is truly imperative to completely destroy all data from the old hard disk. Acronis DriveCleanser guarantees the complete destruction of data on selected partitions and/or entire disks with extremely simple Windows XPstyle interface and straight forward actions. Confidential information on hard disks: storage and access Today more and more amount of confidential information is created in the digital form and consigned to stored on computers. Documents that were previously created with the help of printing machines or table database files are now stored on computer hard disk drives. The enormous amount of personal data, including such important things as personal banking account information, credit card numbers, business application, data-banking, financial, accounting, and industrial ­ are all stored on hard disks. It is impossible to enumerate all documents and data that in no circumstances should not left behind on a hard disk drive for criminals or rivals to possibly retrieve. The main feature of these documents is that all of them contain confidential information. Confidential information: destruction However, information not only has to be stored according to specially developed rules, but also be destroyed according to the strict rules to provide confidentiality. Computers are usually upgraded more than once during their lifetimes. In doing so, very often the computer disk subsystem is upgraded first due to the ever increasing amounts of data stored on the hard disk drive. When a hard disk of larger capacity is installed on the computer, all data from the old disk can be transferred to the new one, but quite often the data also remains on the old disk. Careless storage of a hard disk that is no longer needed can result in the loss of confidential information. The best solution is to completely destroy data on the old disk after it is moved to the new disk. Destroy! Not to erase information, not to delete needless files, but to destroy confidential data! (The difference between file deleting and information destruction will be explained later.) 4 Introduction The following real-life passage illustrations this idea: Jack V., a computer consultant from Brighton, bought a used notebook computer for $400.00 at the clearance sale of a bankrupt Internet company. It was clear that the hard disk drive contained data about the Internet. This data included social security numbers and salary levels of the company's forty-six employees, plus pay-roll records, strategic company plans, confidential board of directors minutes, and other internal documents. There have been many cases like this concerning the sales and purchase of used computer. Data deletion with the means of an operating systems There is a considerable difference between file deletion with operating systems (with the help of file managers) and data destruction with the help of specialized erasing programs. The point is that operating systems, such as Windows, do not materially delete anything from a hard disk when deleting a file: the name of the deleted file in the File Allocation Table (FAT) is substituted by the name which is not assumed as a correct one by the operating system. The file only becomes invisible for a user and the cluster chain that contains file data is considered to be free. But the information contained within the hard disk sectors stays permanent. It is not very difficult for someone to recover it. File deletion under the Linux operating system is somewhat more reliable, but even in this case it is possible to obtain software tools to recover any important information. Neither partitions deletion on a disk nor even disk formatting solves this problem. When partitions are deleted on a hard disk the information of Partition table (if it is a primary partition) or File Allocation Table are deleted. The information contained within sectors however remains untouched and can be recovered with the help of software tools. Reliable information destruction on hard disks is possible only while using specially designed programs that implement specially designed erasing algorithms. Acronis DriveCleanser 5 Guaranteed destruction of confidential information: standards The Acronis DriveCleanser application offers the guaranteed destruction of confidential information on hard magnetic disks with the help of special algorithms. Acronis DriveCleanser algorithms guarantee compliance with most known national standards: (1) American: U.S. Standard, DoD 5220.22-M; (2) American: NAVSO P-5239-26 (RLL); (3) American: NAVSO P-5239-26 (MFM); (4) German: VSITR; (5) Russian: GOST P50739-95. Besides algorithms corresponding to national standards, Acronis DriveCleanser supports predefined algorithms proposed by well-known and authoritative specialists in the field of information security: (6) Peter Gutmann algorithm ­ data on hard disk is destroyed with 35 passes; (7) Bruce Schneier algorithm ­ data is destroyed with 7 passes. The Acronis DriveCleanser also supports simple but fast algorithms for information destruction that provide a single hard disk pass with all sectors zeroed. The major feature of the Acronis DriveCleanser Deluxe version is the opportunity for you to create your own algorithms for data destruction. Detailed information on data destruction standards is given in Appendix A. «Hard Disk Wiping algorithms» to the current Guide. Software usage conditions The conditions for Acronis DriveCleanser software usage are described in the «License agreement», included with this package. The supplied registration card is the confirmation of your legal purchase and usage of Acronis DriveCleanser on your system. Each registration card has its own unique registration number. Under current legislation the «License agreement» is considered a contract between a user (you) and a software manufacturer (Acronis, Inc.). The contract has legal effect and its violation may entail a court examination. Illegal use and/or distribution of this software will be prosecuted. 6 Introduction Technical support Users who have legally purchased and registered their copy of Acronis Disk Director Suite will receive free technical support from Acronis. If you have installation or working problems that you can't solve by yourself using this manual and the readme.txt file, email the technical support team. You will need to provide the serial number of your Acronis Disk Director Suite copy bundled with the program. Before you do this, you will have to register your copy at: http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/my/products/registration/ . Support URL: http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/my/support/ Acronis DriveCleanser 7 Chapter 1. Installing Acronis DriveCleanser and Getting Started 1.1 Acronis DriveCleanser system package Acronis DriveCleanser system package includes: · An installation CD, · This guide, · License agreement, · Registration card, · Advertising materials. 1.2 Installation To install the Acronis DriveCleanser: 1. Insert the Acronis DriveCleanser installation CD into CD-ROM drive and start the installation procedure. 2. Carefully follow the installation program instructions on the screen. 3. After making your installation choices and copying of Acronis DriveCleanser files onto your hard disk, you will be offered to create a bootable diskette or CD-R/W (you may omit this step if you have purchased the boxed product that contains a bootable CD). While DriveCleanser works in Windows, you can also wipe a hard disk with Linux or other PC operating system. If you are not running Windows, you should create bootable media, and re-boot your PC from it, to start a wiping. 8 Chapter 1 : Installing Acronis DriveCleanser and Getting Started After installation of Acronis DriveCleanser is completed, you should restart your computer. 1.3 Repairing/Upgrading Acronis DriveCleanser In order to upgrade or repair your software, start the DriveCleanser installation program again. It will determine that DriveCleanser was already installed on your computer and will ask you if you want to restore (update) the program or completely remove it from disk. 1.4 Removing the software To remove the software select Acronis DriveCleanser Uninstall Acronis DriveCleanser from the Programs menu. You will see a dialog box asking if you really want to remove the software from your PC hard disk. Press Yes to confirm removal. Acronis DriveCleanser software will be completely removed. 1.5 User interface Acronis DriveCleanser software has a Windows-like Wizard-driven graphical user interface and is controlled by the mouse or by Tab, Shift+Tab, Left , Right, Up , Down, Space , Enter and Escape keys. If you regularly work with Windows, X Window or OS/2 applications, you should not encounter any problems with the Acronis DriveCleanser interface. While working with Acronis DriveCleanser software, a user deals with a sequence of dialogs, in which he/she selects one further action, of several Acronis DriveCleanser 9 possible, by setting switches to the necessary position or choosing a value from a list, or marking the necessary partitions or disks for work. The necessary position (or condition) of the switch is selected (or set) with a mouse click or by pressing keys. Each dialog contains detailed text comments describing its purpose and the purpose of a list (or switch) located on it. There are also text comments for each element of the list (possible switch conditions). There is no Help button on Wizard pages. It is unnecessary because on each page there is detailed information about the purpose of the page and its controls. Moreover, there is detailed information about what possibilities you get if you select any of controls in any possible state. 10 Chapter 1 : Installing Acronis DriveCleanser and Getting Started Chapter 2. Wiping Hard Disks with Acronis DriveCleanser Working with Acronis DriveCleanser starts with the welcome screen. The screen informs you about the basic features of the software; they are: 1. Wiping selected partitions of a hard disk (disks) with one of the predefined wiping algorithms; 2. Creating and using custom wiping algorithms. The Acronis DriveCleanser welcome window All actions on hard disks are performed on the basis of scripts created during the dialogue with the user. No data destruction occurs, until you execute the created script. You may return to a previous stage of script creation, from any stage of working with the software, and select other partitions and/or disks to wipe or to change the wiping algorithm. Acronis DriveCleanser 11 The following window will contain the list of hard disks connected to your computer, and their partitions with main parameters (disk capacities and partition sizes, file systems and labels). The list of computer's hard disks (with partitions) Next you will need to select the partitions on hard disks to be designated for data destruction. Mouse-click the rectangle representing the hard disk partition. The red cross will appear in the top right corner of the rectangle. It means that the partition is selected for data destruction. You may choose to destroy data on the entire disk (or several disks). For this purpose mouse-click the rectangle representing the hard disk (with device icon, disk number and its capacity). You may simultaneously select several partitions located on different disks, or several disks. 12 Chapter 2 : Wiping Hard Disks with Acronis DriveCleanser In the Post-wiping actions window you may choose what to do with partition that is the subject of data destruction. Acronis DriveCleanser offers you three opportunities: · Leave partition as is ­ that is just to destroy data according to the algorithm which you will select later; · Delete partition ­ to destroy data and remove partition; · Format ­ to destroy data and format partition (default). The Post-wiping actions window In the example below it is supposed that the switch is set to the Leave partitions as is position. This will allow you to see the results of the data destruction itself (without partition formatting or removal). Acronis DriveCleanser 13 2.1 Using predefined wiping algorithms Now you need to select one of the predefined wiping algorithms from the list in the Algorithm selection window. The list of predefined wiping algorithms The next window represents the created script for wiping the hard disk partitions. The window of the hard disk wiping script The Acronis DriveCleanser software is now ready to perform the wiping procedure. 14 Chapter 2 : Wiping Hard Disks with Acronis DriveCleanser Click the Proceed button to execute the script for wiping the hard disk partitions. After pressing Proceed DriveCleanser takes care of everything automatically. To complete the execution of all processes, DriveCleanser will reboot your system after you have pressed the Proceed button. Upon completion of the data destruction execution, you will receive a message reporting the successful completion of the disk wiping procedure. The successful completion of the wiping procedure window Acronis DriveCleanser software gives you another method to review the results of partition and/or hard disk wiping. Acronis DriveCleanser has a builtin DiskViewer utility for viewing the hard disk contents. Acronis DriveCleanser 15 The algorithms described above offer different variants for data destruction. Thus, the picture you may see on a partition and/or a disk depends on the selected data destruction algorithm. The sector of the disk partition after the fast algorithm execution 16 Chapter 2 : Wiping Hard Disks with Acronis DriveCleanser 2.2 Creating custom algorithms of data destruction Acronis DriveCleanser software gives you an opportunity to create your own algorithms for wiping hard disks. In spite of the fact that the software includes algorithms of all classes, you may choose your own algorithms. 2.2.1 Creating custom algorithms To create a custom algorithm of hard disk wiping, select and mouse-click the «Custom...» line from the drop-down list in the Algorithm selection window. Please pay close attention to the load algorithm option in the same drop-down list. The selection of custom algorithm creation Click the Next button to continue. The window with the script for wiping a hard disk partition (partition and/or hard disk was selected on one of the previous steps) shows after the selection of one of the predefined wiping algorithms. This time the Custom algorithm wizard will be started and you will see the Number of passes window. Acronis DriveCleanser 17 As an example let's create a simple custom algorithm similar to the American standard. As you may remember, the American standard assumes three passes for a hard disk during which different symbols are written to it, and one more pass for verification ­ i.e. 4 passes in total. The window with number of passes of the custom algorithm Let us remind you that the predefined wiping algorithms perform from 1 (fast algorithm, the Russian standard) up to 35 passes (Peter Gutmann algorithm). You may enter any value into the spinner field of the Wizard window with keyboard or mouse. For our example enter 4 into this field. Click the Next button to continue. 18 Chapter 2 : Wiping Hard Disks with Acronis DriveCleanser 2.2.2 Algorithm definition: template The Algorithm definition window shows you a template of the future algorithm: the list contains as many elements, including the defined algorithm at the previous stage. The algorithm definition window The window has the following legend: The first column of the list contains the number of passes for a disk; the second contains the type of operation on a disk (there are just two such operations: to write a symbol to disk, «writing», and to verify written, «verification»); the third column contains the pattern of data to be written to disk. The pattern to be written to disk is always a hexadecimal value, for example, the value of this kind: 0x00, 0xAA, or 0xCD, etc. These values are 1 byte long, but they may be up to 512 bytes long. Except for such values you may enter a random hexadecimal value of any length (up to 512 bytes). Your algorithm may also include one more value for writing that is designated as the «complementary value» ­ the value that is complementary to the one written to disk during the previous pass. We shall remind that if the binary value is represented by 10001010 (0x8A) sequence then the complementary binary value will be represented by 01110101 (0x75) sequence. Acronis DriveCleanser 19