Shredding documents is not just something you can do physically to protect your privacy – it’s also not a bad idea to do it to documents and files on your PC because it’s relatively easy to recover sensitive information that’s only been deleted.
If you’ve never used one, then most file shredders are very simple although they sometimes differ in how secure they are and what they can handle. A good start is Simple File Shredder which overwrites your files with random bytes before it’s deleted. Recovery is almost impossible after this has been done. If on the other hand you’ve deleted a file but still can’t remove certain traces of it from your PC, then TZ Shredder is a tough nut. This program searches for fragments relating to your target file that may have been hidden in clusters on your hard drive.
If you’re worried that your shredder may eventually be cracked by an employee or hacker, then File Shredder gives you the option of using 5 different algorithms so that no one shredding action is ever the same. If that’s not enough, then Master Shredder features a mind boggling 18 different algorithms to choose from. This is a high-end solution that should be used if what you’re deleting is particularly sensitive or confidential. Finally, i you’re looking for a shredder that’s integrated into a cleaning suite as whole, then Steganos Safe is, excuse the pun, a very safe bet featuring a very powerful shredder alongside other hard drive cleaning tools.
