legal way to wipe a drive completely in UK

[ImNotThere]

im getting rid if a 500gb hdd which has had sensitive data on it, normally id use a program which nukes the drive of all data but due to a pesky law in the UK, doing it in this fassion is illegal...

is there any other way? or should i just scrap the drive

[WereCat]

Why the heck is that illegal?

Scrap is the most reliable way to remove the data, should not be illegal.

[ImNotThere]

1 minute ago, WereCat said:

Why the heck is that illegal?

Scrap is the most reliable way to remove the data, should not be illegal.

something to do with permanently erasing data, it was an act passed like 2 years ago

[TrigrH]

1 minute ago, ImNotThere said:

something to do with permanently erasing data, it was an act passed like 2 years ago

bullshit, there is no law preventing a secure erase of a drive.

[ImNotThere]

Just now, TrigrH said:

bullshit, there is no law preventing a secure erase of a drive.

there definitely is, otherwise i would nuke it, i used to do it years ago, wasnt illegal back then... 

 

in the same way in the uk it was legal to hack into others wifi up until 2016..

[TrigrH]

Just now, ImNotThere said:

there definitely is, otherwise i would nuke it, i used to do it years ago, wasnt illegal back then... 

 

in the same way in the uk it was legal to hack into others wifi up until 2016..

writing data to a drive cant be illegal, prove it.

[Rain7]

I'd do a quick format and completely fill the hdd with random stuff three or more times. It's a time consuming process if done manually so I suggest creating a program to loop enough to fill the drive.

[Princess Luna]

Lol what? microwave it!

 

Seriously though where are you from? I want to research this one because it makes absolutely no sense a country approve a law that forbids you from formatting a HDD.

[MaktimS]

Even if there is a law, ignore it. Do it as you want. Nobody will notice anything  I mean why would someone make such a mess just because of one HDD?

[Princess Luna]

1 minute ago, MaktimS said:

Even if there is a law ignore it. Do it as you want. Nobody will notice anything  I mean why would someone make such a mess just because of one HDD?

I would like to know how do they even supervise it, I mean it sounds rather impossible to find out what you do inside of your house with your HDD, I tried looking this up just got a across this british article

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7816446.stm

 

It just tells people to do the simple format because that already makes data hard enough to recover where thieves won't bother lol but why doing so other than selling the HDD? which well if it is that sensitive I'd just say don't sell it keep it in your possession and problem solved?

[paddy-stone]

Nope, this is bollocks... never has, nor will there be a LAW that says it's illegal to wipe your own personal data. For businesses though, they have to comply with data retention laws.

[Lurick]

5 minutes ago, paddy-stone said:

Nope, this is bollocks... never has, nor will there be a LAW that says it's illegal to wipe your own personal data. For businesses though, they have to comply with data retention laws.

Was just about to say this.

The law OP is thinking of is data retention laws for businesses only.

[paddy-stone]

2 minutes ago, Lurick said:

Was just about to say this.

The law OP is thinking of is data retention laws for businesses only.

Exactly.

 

OP, google "dban" - you can create a bootable USB, boot into it and nuke your HDD. Make sure you do not select the wrong drive, in fact I would dsiconnect all other drives to save problems.

[ImNotThere]

33 minutes ago, paddy-stone said:

Nope, this is bollocks... never has, nor will there be a LAW that says it's illegal to wipe your own personal data. For businesses though, they have to comply with data retention laws.

it is a business hdd. with sensitive data on it

[ImNotThere]

24 minutes ago, paddy-stone said:

Exactly.

 

OP, google "dban" - you can create a bootable USB, boot into it and nuke your HDD. Make sure you do not select the wrong drive, in fact I would dsiconnect all other drives to save problems.

thats what i used to do, good little software

[ImNotThere]

28 minutes ago, Lurick said:

Was just about to say this.

The law OP is thinking of is data retention laws for businesses only.

its a business hdd that had sensitive data on it

[ImNotThere]

1 hour ago, Princess Cadence said:

I would like to know how do they even supervise it, I mean it sounds rather impossible to find out what you do inside of your house with your HDD, I tried looking this up just got a across this british article

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7816446.stm

 

It just tells people to do the simple format because that already makes data hard enough to recover where thieves won't bother lol but why doing so other than selling the HDD? which well if it is that sensitive I'd just say don't sell it keep it in your possession and problem solved?

its looking like im gonna just keep it and use it as a storage drive or something

[79wjd]

3 minutes ago, ImNotThere said:

its a business hdd that had sensitive data on it

Is the data backed up? The law requires businesses to have access to certain data for a certain number of years, it says absolutely nothing about it deleting it from an HDD if it's backed up elsewhere. And if it's not backed up, and it's information that is required to be backed up, then you could have a problem if the government asks for the data -- not if you erase it. 

[paddy-stone]

4 hours ago, djdwosk97 said:

Is the data backed up? The law requires businesses to have access to certain data for a certain number of years, it says absolutely nothing about it deleting it from an HDD if it's backed up elsewhere. And if it's not backed up, and it's information that is required to be backed up, then you could have a problem if the government asks for the data -- not if you erase it. 

Agree, the law is not about deleting data from a HDD, it's about retaining of user data for a period of time, I think 3 years?

There is no law about deleting data from HDDs, except to properly delete it if selling it on, because some arseholes left porn and shit on laptops and stuff that were then sold to parents with kids, or the kids themselves. So basically the law or guideline just states to properly delete data before selling, if you don't and then shit like the above is found, then you could be prosecuted.

 

I would be more worried about my business data getting out there, than complying with any laws personally... if such laws existed. As far as I am concerned that is YOUR business and the data that goes with it, and IMO the data should be encrypted anyway in most cases..and if you needed to dispose of hard drives to keep the data secure, then you should be able to.

 

Just dban it OP, there are no "laws" concerning erasure of a HDD, except as above where the data might be considered harmful... it's more of a guideline, and should be common practice for anyone with any sense anyway.

 

 

[ethebigd]

6 hours ago, ImNotThere said:

im getting rid if a 500gb hdd which has had sensitive data on it, normally id use a program which nukes the drive of all data but due to a pesky law in the UK, doing it in this fassion is illegal...

is there any other way? or should i just scrap the drive

1. Erase it in windows

2. Take a screw driver, take the drive appart.

3. Use creative way to destroy it such as liquid nitrogen, hammer, saw, chainsaw and many other way.

 

If the 3rd one is too intense, do step 1 and 2, after take each plater and break them in half with your 4Head

[Zodiark1593]

"Oh darn, that nasty logic bomb virus going around wiped my data. Totally not my fault. Sorry about that bit of bad luck there, chaps."