CCleaner internet thumbnails recovered by Recuva?

[ondabox]

I use CCleaner every time I close my laptop. I decided, on a whim, to install Recuva....I am wondering why, if CCleaner works (I use 7pass overite) does Recuva show all my internet thumbnail pics???....is CCleaner not really deleting them at all?

PS I use IE9...I also downloaded trial of cyberscrub, thumbnails dissappeared......what particular "box" should I tick to delete these internet thumbnails etc?...I considered myself adept at using CCleaner and recommend it to everyone, but now im not sure? Yes, I have unticked the box for only past 24hours.

[Nergal]

1) Pass # only refers to secure deletion (right click action, I believe)

2) 7 Pass is overkill and using it to often or too much (see #1 above) will reduce the lifetime of your drive (Drives can only take so many writes before going bad)

3) If they show in Recuva than they are delete (unless you've check the box for show non-deleted files within Recuva)

[ondabox]

Well, I have done some thought on this matter and your reply....I simply do not accept that if "they show up on Recuva, they are deleted"....surely anything that can be recovered is, by definition, not deleted. Also...Why is 7pass overite "overkill" as you state? Surely, this is an option that would, to any lay person, ensure more efficient deletion. Also...It would seem to me...that the best solution for CCleaner to use, would be to ensure it uses Recuva protocols in its deletion method, as to ensure that the very items detected by a recovery program are those deleted by a cleaner....I'm not a computer expert, however, I am great at logic and problem solving...The simple fact is this :- If using CCleaner to delete internet history etc, one would not expect recovery system downloaded from the same site to prove it innefective...any comments from other users?

[Nergal]

ondabox ccleaner is not a security product, it is a space reclaimer. in no way does piriform state or claim ccleaned data will be unretrievable via recovery programs.

 

deleted mean the space used is now seen as free space by the operating system.

 

also please stop invading other members threads with this subject, especially when they've NOTHING to do with your "issue"

[ondabox]

Well, I understand your point re CCleaner not being a security product, but merely a space optimization tool. For this purpose, it does a fast and extremely good job and is one of the easiest programs to use.

I note - on further investigation- that running a free space drive wipe to your normal checked box option seems to remove internet thumbnails etc to the point where even a Recuva deepscan will not recover them.

My question is - what program is a "security product", that does indeed fully delete such history etc from your hard-drive? Does such a product exist that is quite easy to use or are you considering adding one, or indeed further features to CCleaner that does make it not only a space cleaner but a true deletion method? Thanks

[Nergal]

Beware when running WFS or the Wipe Drive/Free Space tool in ccleaner (or any cleaner) as the same is true:

using it to often or too much <snip> will reduce the lifetime of your drive (Drives can only take so many writes before going bad)

[ondabox]

I will investigate further

[ondabox]

Dear Nergal, in reference to your quote:

 

"ondabox ccleaner is not a security product, it is a space reclaimer. in no way does piriform state or claim ccleaned data will be unretrievable via recovery programs".

 

Let me quote:

 

"This means that, given the right software, someone could reconstruct all, or parts of files that you've deleted. For privacy and security reasons, you can set CCleaner to wipe the free areas of your hard disk so that deleted files can never be recovered". Piriform website (shock horror!)

 

Thanks for your "help" with my "issue".

[Alan_B]

Did you securely delete all Thumbnails ?

Did you securely delete all Windows data held in Windows files and Registry hives that might have allowed Windows to rebuild the thumbnails ?

 

In my early years with XP I would look at absolutely all files (including hidden and "not accessible") that had been modified "today".

I quickly decided that certain files were in a constant state of flux because the O.S. was always fiddling with itself,

and I refrained from detailed inspection.

One file attracted my attention and I inspected its contents.

I found reference to a strange file on a strange path of a non-existent drive P:\

 

I went crazy at the thought that malware had installed a pseudo drive.

 

Then I discovered ROT13 and deciphered P:\ as Microsoft's encryption of C:\,

and the strange path decrypted to a new path for my new application.

http://blog.didierstevens.com/2006/07/24/rot13-is-used-in-windows-you%E2%80%99re-joking/

 

After I have run CCleaner and observed what it removed I might sometimes click ANALYZE a second time,

and occasionally the O.S. will have recreated Thumbnail Cache.

Who knows what else the O.S. is remembering of your past actions

 

Wiping free space should remove the files that had been deleted, but the system still remembers what you did and where,

and the system can recreate the thumbnails as evidence against you.

 

You are wrong if you think that wiping free space will protect you from the F.B.I.