

Securely erase specific files with Eraser Nevertheless, we have used all of these methods successfully in the past. If you do choose to erase your data with any of these methods, you do so at your own risk-which is why we advise making a backup before you begin. Department of Defense’s “Short” specification and for numerous militaries around the globe.

Some utilities support “Gutmann”-level protection with 35 passes, but three passes is enough for the U.S. The more times you overwrite your data, the less likely it is to be recovered. A utility that makes three passes overwrites your drive with ones and zeroes three separate times. Each pass signifies a complete overwrite of the data. Drive-wipe utilities let you specify how many “passes” the software makes. With that out of the way let’s talk terminology.
