It occurred to me the other day that I have no idea whether the reclaimed file space is securely erased when using FileVault. Sure, the FileVault image is encrypted, but does this negate the need for secure erasure of the previously used disc space when FileVault reclaims unused space?
How secure is reclaimed FileVault disc space?
- Thread starter JeffCGD
- Start date
RacerX
Old Rhapsody User
When using FileVault, all data written in FileVault is written to the hard drive in an encrypted form. All previously use disc space is not only in an encrypted format, it is no longer part of the original disk image.
I can't think of anything more secure than that. Even with full knowledge of your encryption key, the data is now a fragmented (incomplete) disk image data.
How secure do you need your data? Something like that would cost in the hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of dollars to recover, and even then odds aren't in favor of any actual data being found.
Do you have anything worth that much effort?
It would be cheaper to torture that information out of you at that point.
Hmmm.... so what do you do for a living again?
I can't think of anything more secure than that. Even with full knowledge of your encryption key, the data is now a fragmented (incomplete) disk image data.
How secure do you need your data? Something like that would cost in the hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of dollars to recover, and even then odds aren't in favor of any actual data being found.
Do you have anything worth that much effort?
It would be cheaper to torture that information out of you at that point.
Hmmm.... so what do you do for a living again?
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