CBL Data Shredder

Files that you deleted in the classical way (emptying Recycle bin or Shift+Delete) are not safe from data recovery software, specialized in getting back files even after formatting the disk.

To protect your privacy when planning to give your hard disk or removable storage media to someone else you don't trust, you can use a tool like CBL Data Shredder, designed to securely wipe the free space on drives. It works with both local disks and removable media devices.

Worth noting is that CBL Data Shredder cannot erase files but only secure the footprints left behind by already deleted items. It's safe to use it on drives with important files, even the operating system, because there's no risk of accidentally deleting files.

As far as the interface is concerned, CBL Data Shredder adopts a simple window with a straightforward look, where you can get started by selecting the target disk.

Before initiating the data shredding operation, which shouldn't be interrupted, you can pick the erase method from US DoD Standard 5220.22-M (3 passes), German VSITR Standard (7 passes), Bruce Schneier’s Algorithm (7 passes), Peter Gutmann’s Algorithm (7 passes), and the RCMP DSX Method (3 passes and 3 verification passes).

If you're not pleased with any of these profiles, you can switch to custom deletion mode and choose between erasing with 1s, 0s, random data, or any text you specify. You can also pick the number of passes and ask CBL Data Shredder to write a signature at the end of the sector as well as sector # at the beginning.

During the wiping task, you can check out a progress bar with the total deleted sectors and current passes. Once it's over, you can inspect a log file with further details.

It's recommended to launch the program with admin rights to avoid file reading errors due to permission issues. CBL Data Shredder carried out shredding jobs quickly in our tests while remaining light on system resources consumption. It's wrapped in a simple interface and provides practical options for protecting your privacy by securing the space left behind by deleted files.