Secure Deletion

Reading the title of this blog post you probably thought that it is a quite simple topic and many of you already know, for instance, how to clear your web history and how to delete a file from a laptop/phone. I mean, we can all do it, but did you know that nothing is ever completely deleted? Good news is that you can make it difficult for your average Joe to crack it but if a hacker is wanting to find your deleted files, they are going to.

What Happens when you delete a file?

When you delete a file or maybe empty the bin on your laptop, you are not actually erasing it, you are just making it invisible. Once you create or import new files, they will be stored over your deleted files, making it more difficult to retrieve the original file you deleted. But, bear in mind that it can take months, or years to overwrite the original files thus it takes little effort for a hacker to retrieve your information when using the right software.

How to make it harder for a hacker to find deleted files?

There are a few software programs that make your deleted files more difficult to find. One of these is CCleaner. What it does is that it writes on top of your deleted files so that it is more difficult to locate them. Also, it cleans your laptop/phone from Junk files. 

Find below where to download CCleaner.

**Please be advised that even when using any apps to delete files they are never fully deleted: if someone is determined to find them they can**

Source

CCleaner
How To Geek