Toshiba preps technology to wipe hard drives after power-off
updated 09:35 am EDT, Tue August 10, 2010
Toshiba intros Wipe tech for self-encrypting HDDs
Toshiba today said it had developed a new technique to make self-encrypting hard drives truly secure. Known just as Wipe, it would let companies and individuals flag the internal encryption key so that it's automatically erased if the system is shut down or if the drive is removed. The move would clear data on the drive even without access to software on the computer that would control the drive.
The approach will have the most immediate use for high-security computers, where data is valuable enough that it could be erased at a moment's notice. Toshiba added that it could also be useful for rented or leased systems to bring them back to a factory state. Even photocopiers and printers could use the feature, as Wipe would eliminate the recently highlighted problem of machines keeping images for months or years after they change hands.
No mention has been made of when or how Wipe would be implemented on hard drives, though it's likely to be limited to Toshiba disks for now.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2006
interesting
It goes to show that some environments have VERY different requirements. Personally I wouldn't want my hard drive wiped just because there was a power outage. But I can see how in some situations you would want to ensure that someone swiping a hard drive would have no access to your data under any circumstances.