srm

srm (also known as secure rm) is an open source command-line software that replaces the regular ‘rm’ command that is available in the majority of the Linux-based operating systems with a secure one.

A drop-in replacement for rm

The program has been engineered in such a way that it will overwrite file contents before removing or unlinking them. In addition, secure rm is compatible with the “rm” command, and its ultimate goal is to offer a more secure method for erasing files, in order to prevent recovery of deleted information.

Should be used in all GNU/Linux systems

We think that this amazing tool should be used by default in all GNU/Linux operating systems, or at least as an alternative to rm. It’s ideal for workstations and laptops with active Internet connections.

Getting started with srm

To install srm on your GNU/Linux system, you will have to download the latest version from Softoware, save it in a location of your choice, extract it and open a terminal emulator. In the terminal window, navigate to the location of the extracted files and type the “./configure && make” command (without quotes) to configure and compile the program.

After a successful compilation, you can easily install the software system wide by running the “make install” command as root or with sudo, without quotes, of course. To use the program, just type the ‘srm’ command in a terminal window followed by the file you want to securely remove from your disk drive.

Under the hood, availability and supported OSes

Apparently, srm works with many other operating system, except Linux, such as FreeBSD and Microsoft Windows. It is written entirely in the C programming language and distributed as a single, universal source archive that allows you to optimize it for 32-bit or 64-bit hardware platforms.

What is new in this release:

• This version securely overwrites POSIX extended attributes.
• On Windows, it handles NTFS hard links and alternate data streams.

What is new in version 1.2.14:

• This version securely overwrites POSIX extended attributes.
• On Windows, it handles NTFS hard links and alternate data streams.

What is new in version 1.2.11:

• Win32 command line wildcard expansion was implemented.
• The use of "-v -v" displays the current write position.
• The SIGINFO and SIGUSR2 signals trigger a display of the current write position.
• The -x option does not cross file system boundaries.
• Block devices are overwritten.