Am I right in thinking that even if I use CCleaner to empty the bin and shred the contents, the filenames will still be visible if a recovery program is used?
If so then why not have CCleaner rename the files in the recycle bin before deleting and overwriting them?
I used ccleaner and accidentally ran it on the recycle bin. I really needed that {Insert File Type} so I tried to restore it with recuva but it was over written
Files can't be recovered anyway if overwrite is turned on, so why not rename for extra privacy?
Even if the content can't be recovered someone is still going to know (for example) you've been looking at porn if they run Recuva and see filenames relating to hardcore porn.
Yep, Nergal, I imagine that is the reason the developers chose not to rename them.
CCleaner is a great app, and I wouldn't second guess them for anything. But. . .
Ya know, it wouldn't have to be a porn link, it could be the formula for Coca-Cola or my online banking password or the launch code for the local missle battery, something relatively harmless like that. Then the bad guys would know that I had had it in the past and would torture me for it. I probably couldn't remember it anyway, so it would save me a lot of grief if the filename was randomized when wiped.
Secure delete renames files anyway, so I can't see any user reason why recycler files aren't renamed. The reason why is possibly technical. Files sent to the recycler are renamed by Windows, and I guess that Explorer extracts the real file names when showing the recycler list of contents. To rename these files you would have to 'undelete' them to some temp folder, rename and overwrite them, then delete them. Or something like that. (As I've never used this facility I'm taking it on trust that secure delete of the recycler contents doesn't rename?)
I think we should all post on porn sites asking them to rename their delectable jpegs to something more anonymous. Well, not me personally, of course.
Login, I live a half-mile away from a former cold-war underground seat of government, and on the other side of town is a missile rocket manufacturubg site. Ah, it's lovely living in the countryside. I bet there's still a few IBCM's pointing in this direction. I wonder if anyone around here has a launch key or two? If so, rename it!
Login, I live a half-mile away from a former cold-war underground seat of government, and on the other side of town is a missile rocket manufacturubg site. Ah, it's lovely living in the countryside. I bet there's still a few IBCM's pointing in this direction. I wonder if anyone around here has a launch key or two? If so, rename it!
Good idea.
Just did so: They are now called Not_Launch_Code1.txt, Not_Launch_Code2.txt...etc. That should fool everybody.
Seriously, though, I don't know about the technical difficulties involved but more than one app already renames everything it securely deletes. If the difficulty is too great, move the file on reboot and rename it, then delete it