How safe is your digital data?

[elsiegee40]

Very good programme from "Bang goes the theory" that's worth watching on iPlayer if you haven't seen it already.

I shall be encouraging family, friends and colleagues to watch it!

Liz finds out how safe digital storage formats such as DVDs and memory sticks are, and whether the Cloud answers all our problems. Dallas and Jem see what it takes to properly wipe your computer memory, and Maggie Philbin revisits phone security after nearly 30 years, investigating how hackers can access your smartphone.

BBC One - Bang Goes the Theory, Series 6, How Safe Is Your Digital Data?

[plexer]

Can't say their link to data destruction devices/products is particularly useful to the man at home though.

Ben

[elsiegee40]

Can't say their link to data destruction devices/products is particularly useful to the man at home though.

Ben

I agree. But the programme was a pretty good explanation of the risks for the man at home

[mac_shinobi]

1. They had the demo setup with the train , trunk and padlock & key but don't recall them going through how to safely send something on the train without it being intercepted
2. how safe data centres are to store data ?

otherwise it was good

[plexer]

You have to go to the website to see the answer.

Ben

[Arthur]

I have to say I was a bit disappointed overall.

1. They could have done a far better job destroying the hard drives!
   
   
   • The sledgehammer didn't even make contact with the drive inside the Dell PC.
   • The tractor wasn't heavy enough to crush the HDD inside the next computer. Perhaps a tank would have been a better choice?
   • How much liquid was in the mug that the USB flash drive was dropped into? If you listen carefully it sounded like none at all!
   
   Is it any surprise the data recovery bloke from OnTrack won? It's quite obvious it was fixed in his favour.
   
   
2. They didn't mention anything about using VPN software like Hotspot Shield (or equivalent smartphone apps) to encrypt your traffic when using public WiFi.
3. They spent less than 10 seconds during the entire programme talking about encryption software!

^ Why did they not take the drives out of the PCs first?

[X-13]

Why did they not take the drives out of the PCs first?

Because it's a TV show, and they're scaremongering.

A linux live disk is all I need to wipe HDDs to MoD standards.

[elsiegee40]

I agree a sledgehammer can be perfectly effective if applied directly to the drive... an electric drill is better... or a bored teenager with a set of security screwdriver heads!

I think it makes the points needed to those who are not technical though.

[localzuk]

Best way to destroy a drive is DBAN + either fire or destruction of platters (if glass, shatter them, if metal, burn).

Hitting the case of a PC with a sledgehammer is gonna do nothing, as is driving over a PC in anything - even a tank is unlikely to damage the drive inside, as the case is pretty tough on a hard drive.

[Arthur]

Was the reason for not mentioning DBAN, TrueCrypt etc. due to the BBC not wanting to be held accountable for when a viewer unwittingly destroys his/her data either by losing the decryption password/key or erasing the wrong HDD?

[cpjitservices]

I Watched that.... The Data Center was good with all the Cisco Kit!