Advanced Shred
The Advanced Shred tool works similar to that of a paper shredder. However, it is even more effective than a paper shredder. You can choose a Shred level that performs more than one overwrite. This is equivalent to shredding a piece of paper and then taking the shredded pieces and running them through the shredder repeatedly.
All data on your computer is comprised of "bytes" of information based on a binary numeric system. Each byte is comprised of zeroes and ones (for example, 0011001). The Shred tool uses overwrite technology - a method of replacing the stored data with another set of numbers. Typically this is all zeroes or a random set of zeroes and ones.
Warning: There is no way to recover shredded items. We recommend that you verify the items you have selected to shred are unwanted files before proceeding.
For information on how to use the ParetoLogic Privacy Controls Shred tool, see:
There are three levels to choose from: Quick, Safe, and Thorough as described in the table below.
Shred Level
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Security
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Description
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Quick
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Minimum
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The data is overwritten with a single random pass and cannot, without the use of sophisticated restoration equipment, be recovered.
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Safe
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Medium
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The data is overwritten in three passes according to DoD 5220-22M specifications (the standard for permanent erasure of digital information as set by the U.S. Department of Defense).
This is the recommended setting as it meets security requirements without over-extending system resources.
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Thorough
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High
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The data is overwritten according to DoD 5220-22M specifications (the standard set by the U.S. Department of Defense) but includes an extra four passes for a total of seven.
This is very secure but will take more time especially when shredding many files at once.
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Some files cannot be shredded including:
- Files that are open and in use or locked by another application.
- Files on a CD.
- Files residing on a network drive that you do not have write permissions to.
When coming across files that cannot be shredded, ParetoLogic Privacy Controls displays a message and the items are left in the Shred list for you to examine.
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