Wiping Encrypted USBs?

[Thunderkhoac4213]

Hey all.

 

My company is throwing out a bunch of old USB drives (4GB USB 2.0 "IronKey Enterprise"). I'm trying to save them to repurpose them instead of them getting sent off into the bin, especially since members of my team still don't have field storage devices, and I'd rather no one have to go and buy their own if we have resources available. However, the software is tied to the enterprise meaning I need a valid company email and activation code. No one has the activation codes, and my attempts to wipe/format it have turned up nothing.

 

I've tried using command (diskpart/list disk/select disk/clean/format), CCleaner, Xcinerate (wiping program from Steam) as well as Parted Magic, and they've all yielded some error or another saying that the drive can't be wiped. Parted Magic was kind of my last resort, because it had multiple methods of wiping including random numbers, all 0s, etc. 

 

IronKey.exe is still on the USB and the right-click context menu offers no options to delete, "Properties" offers no way to format.

 

Any suggestions? 

[cat_B0T_Gaming]

42 minutes ago, Thunderkhoac4213 said:

Hey all.

 

My company is throwing out a bunch of old USB drives (4GB USB 2.0 "IronKey Enterprise"). I'm trying to save them to repurpose them instead of them getting sent off into the bin, especially since members of my team still don't have field storage devices, and I'd rather no one have to go and buy their own if we have resources available. However, the software is tied to the enterprise meaning I need a valid company email and activation code. No one has the activation codes, and my attempts to wipe/format it have turned up nothing.

 

I've tried using command (diskpart/list disk/select disk/clean/format), CCleaner, Xcinerate (wiping program from Steam) as well as Parted Magic, and they've all yielded some error or another saying that the drive can't be wiped. Parted Magic was kind of my last resort, because it had multiple methods of wiping including random numbers, all 0s, etc. 

 

IronKey.exe is still on the USB and the right-click context menu offers no options to delete, "Properties" offers no way to format.

 

Any suggestions? 

I have no ideas but one. Assuming the USBs are SSD-based, you should be able to magnetically wipe them(neodymium magnets only) 

[Tan3l6]

4 minutes ago, cat_B0T_Gaming said:

I have no ideas but one. Assuming the USBs are SSD-based, you should be able to magnetically wipe them(neodymium magnets of small EMP, i don't care). Other than that, I have no ideas.

Aren't SSDs mostly immune to magnets? 

Found an article where it says that SSDs are mostly immune.

https://computercity.com/hardware/storage/are-ssds-affected-by-magnets-and-debunking-other-common-myths

 

 

But can't think of a better method for OP either...

[cat_B0T_Gaming]

1 minute ago, Tan3l6 said:

Aren't SSDs mostly immune to magnets? 

Found an article where it says that SSDs are mostly immune.

https://computercity.com/hardware/storage/are-ssds-affected-by-magnets-and-debunking-other-common-myths

 

 

But can't think of a better method for OP either...

Most USBs are less immune, especially if they are older.

[ewitte]

Someone wants to use 4GB USB 2.0 drives?  As long as it isn't self-encrypted you should be able to clear the partition table, create new ones and format.  I lost an SSD once due to self-encryption, but Samsung was nice enough to cover it under warranty.

[OhYou_]

sudo blockdev --setrw /dev/???
dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/???
replace ??? with the actual drive
find it with lsblk
if this doesnt work, it's a hardware write lock. there is likely a tiny microcontroller on the usb which the proprietary software running on the pc communicates to the USB to lift the write block once everything is set up right.
in theory the flash itself should just be regular flash so some microsoldering could bypass all the security features, but its a 4gb stick just buy a 20 pack of 16gb sandisks instead.

[tkitch]

you've probably already put in more time into the idea than the drives are worth cost-wise.

 

cheap USB Sticks are cheap.  Just get a bulk pack.

[Blue4130]

9 hours ago, cat_B0T_Gaming said:

I have no ideas but one. Assuming the USBs are SSD-based, you should be able to magnetically wipe them(neodymium magnets only) 

Where did you get this idea? Ssd based storage is highly resistant to magnets.

[atarione]

I'm pretty sure you are out of luck as these have onboard cypto chip... These drives were made specifically to no let anyone bypass this stuff..

 

[cat_B0T_Gaming]

12 hours ago, Blue4130 said:

Where did you get this idea? Ssd based storage is highly resistant to magnets.

I accidentally wiped a 2 GB USB with a refrigerator magnet a few years ago...

[Blue4130]

10 minutes ago, cat_B0T_Gaming said:

I accidentally wiped a 2 GB USB with a refrigerator magnet a few years ago...

No, That is not possible. If it died, it was unrelated to the magnet.

[strange13930]

10 minutes ago, Blue4130 said:

No, That is not possible. If it died, it was unrelated to the magnet.

he wiped it not killed it.

[Blue4130]

7 minutes ago, strange13930 said:

he wiped it not killed it.

Wiping a usb flash drive with a magnet is not possible. Unless you rotate the magnet fast enough to cause a voltage on the copper traces. But unless you are superman or the flash, it isn't happening.

[EffeectFTW]

As someone with experience with these types of USB sticks, they tend to have locked-down firmware and crypto chips, which means if you can't bypass the "lock" with disk management software.

 

There's likely a way to do it, however, I think you should avoid using it and buy a new stick, as these USB sticks tend to be dog slow and low in capacity, and the effort required to bypass is quite a bit. And even if you did unlock it, I have no idea what kind of firmware these things have, and they may not allow certain types of uses, such as boot drives which is something I found out the hard way with some security first drives a few years ago.

[cat_B0T_Gaming]

On 4/30/2025 at 9:47 AM, Blue4130 said:

Wiping a usb flash drive with a magnet is not possible. Unless you rotate the magnet fast enough to cause a voltage on the copper traces. But unless you are superman or the flash, it isn't happening.

I used a PC case fan to get the magnet up to speed then I put the USB right by it

[TheRealPoseidonGod]

On 4/29/2025 at 4:16 PM, Thunderkhoac4213 said:

Hey all.

 

My company is throwing out a bunch of old USB drives (4GB USB 2.0 "IronKey Enterprise"). I'm trying to save them to repurpose them instead of them getting sent off into the bin, especially since members of my team still don't have field storage devices, and I'd rather no one have to go and buy their own if we have resources available. However, the software is tied to the enterprise meaning I need a valid company email and activation code. No one has the activation codes, and my attempts to wipe/format it have turned up nothing.

 

I've tried using command (diskpart/list disk/select disk/clean/format), CCleaner, Xcinerate (wiping program from Steam) as well as Parted Magic, and they've all yielded some error or another saying that the drive can't be wiped. Parted Magic was kind of my last resort, because it had multiple methods of wiping including random numbers, all 0s, etc. 

 

IronKey.exe is still on the USB and the right-click context menu offers no options to delete, "Properties" offers no way to format.

 

Any suggestions? 

I'll add this just as a possible way, but many motherboard bios have a function to wipe a drive directly from the UEFI page. I think ASRock calls it something like "Secure Erase". If the BIOS recognizes the usb drive you could try to use it (maybe check if your BIOS has something similar). I'm not sure it will work 100%, but maybe it won't be as picky as the software you tried. Good luck!

[Blue4130]

On 5/1/2025 at 10:31 PM, cat_B0T_Gaming said:

I used a PC case fan to get the magnet up to speed then I put the USB right by it

I call BS.