Protecting Your Privacy | Are You Really Deleting Files?

I am not the only one who has made mistakes when it comes to protecting my privacy.  Just check out the news on hard drives that hold personal data and think twice about selling your computer on eBay before wiping it’s data.  Yes, technology can hinder you, but it doesn’t have to be that way!

It all began last year.  I was tired of not knowing what was making my computer so slow.  I had read a little bit about downloads that contain spy-ware and I realized that every time I reinstalled my operating system, my computer speed would improve.  But only after a few days, it would become slow again.  I didn’t know much about Linux, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt to try out a well recommended distribution.  I used to think that my computer archives were obliterated once I pressed that delete button.  But oh, was I wrong!  What you don’t know about your computer can really  hurt you.

I got a blank cd, downloaded an ISO and installed without really reading the instructions in depth.  I had over ten years of experience with computers (typing, researching, installing), but sadly did not know how to partition the hard drive.  To my dismay, I had accidentally installed Linux over all my Windows files, deleting all my family pictures, college essays, and personal emails!  I frantically went online to see if there was anything I could do.  I got stuck because most of the recovery software offered was not compatible with my Linux distribution!  It took me forever but found out that I was wrong; there were methods (albeit not efficient) of accessing files originally created in Windows (that had ever been processed by my computer’s hard drive).  I won’t be recommending a specific source, but let me just say that whatever you use will most likely search by file extension only.  Since pictures were my priority, I limited the search to jpg, jpeg, gif, and bmp.  When rescued files starting appearing I felt ecstatic.

Thirty minutes and thousands of rescued archives later, I realized that it was going to take a lot of energy from me.  The thing is, whenever a file is deleted, you’re just removing a link (the marker that gives you access).  So whenever a file is recovered, you’re given a list of where the file can be.  It’s like looking for a needle in a haystack because the title is no longer my_named_file.jpg, but rather a random number.  When I went through my recovery list, I found among the thousands of clip art images and Windows Vista logos, photographs of random people, temporary internet search files, and I certainly found that at least one other individual that had owned this refurbished computer had been interested in adult content!  I was shocked!  I wasn’t very interested in other people’s data, but what about identity thieves?  I remembered all the computers I had used in my lifetime and was embarrassed at the thought that a laptop I gave away could be someone’s source of entertainment, if the young man who now owned it were to get curious about the hard drive.

If you’ve realized a little to late that you have given a computer away with your personal data, I feel your pain.  If you only used that computer for editing personal pictures, I wouldn’t take it too seriously.  But if you used credit cards or downloaded bank statements on it, perhaps it would be best for you to look into professional identity theft protection.  For your future peace of mind, I suggest investing your time in installing a powerful disk wipe to your computer!