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Using Secure Empty Trash

TMO Quick Tip - Using Secure Empty Trash

by , 7:30 AM EDT, May 22nd, 2006

When you empty the trash to remove files and folders from your Mac's hard drive, they certainly appear to be gone, but that isn't always the case. Deleting files tells Mac OS X that it's okay to use the hard drive space the document occupies for other data, but until new data is written to that spot, the files are still there - and potentially visible to data recovery applications.

If you want to make sure that your deleted files aren't easily recoverable, try the Finder's Secure Empty Trash option instead. In Tiger or Panther, choose Finder > Secure Empty Trash. Everything that is currently in your Trash gets overwritten with junk data, making the files difficult to recover.


Secure Empty Trash makes sure your deleted files stay that way.

Secure Empty Trash is handy when you want to delete old personal records that could potentially be used to steal your identity, but don't think of it as the ultimate in privacy protection: The security measures we use today will likely be inadequate in the future as new and more powerful computing technologies are developed.

if you have ideas for Mac related tips that you think other TMO readers might find helpful.

Observer Comments

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Close Name:hkbaq Posts: 8 Joined: 29 Apr 2005
Mon May 22, 2006 11:00 am Subject: isin't this a little basic

I think anyone that's had their mac for more than a day, knows this already.....

you guys are TMO.....i am sure you can come up with something better....

but anyway....nice try


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Close Name:Tiger Posts: 1018 Joined: 17 Jun 2003
Mon May 22, 2006 11:23 am Subject: it's for the newbys

People are converting daily to Macs. I'm helping three switchers this week alone buy new MacBooks. They surely don't know this. Reminders like these never hurt anybody.

Heck, remember when you actually had to buy a shredder software program????


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Close Name:Guest
Mon May 22, 2006 11:36 am Subject: I Did Not Know That

I am new to Macs... I just learned something today. Please do not think everyone knows everything you do and never assume you know everything.


Quote
hkbaq wrote:
I think anyone that's had their mac for more than a day, knows this already.....

you guys are TMO.....i am sure you can come up with something better....

but anyway....nice try

Quote
hkbaq wrote:
I think anyone that's had their mac for more than a day, knows this already.....

you guys are TMO.....i am sure you can come up with something better....

but anyway....nice try


 Reply | Quote
Close Name:Bryan -   TMO Staff Posts: 7340 Joined: 11 Jun 2001
Mon May 22, 2006 1:15 pm Subject:

hkbaq, no matter how much you (or I) know about our Macs, there is always someone who knows more than we do, as well as someone who knows less than we do.

Our QuickTips are designed for a cross section of those users.


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Close Name:Guest
Mon May 22, 2006 2:22 pm Subject:

Quote
hkbaq wrote:
I think anyone that's had their mac for more than a day, knows this already.....


I'm not new to macs. I just never use the menu to empty the trash. Ctrl/right click on the trashcan (how I empty teh trash) doesn't have that option, so I have never seen it.

You learn something new every day. Can you make that the default empty trash option? Or at least add it to the contextual menu?


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Close Name:boodle Posts: 42 Joined: 13 Jun 2004
Mon May 22, 2006 2:34 pm Subject: But it's so SLOOOOOOW!!!

For those who haven't got around to using this feature, and especially newbies, be warned that secure trashing takes longer, sometimes much longer, or much much longer, possibly as long as a mid-winter nap, during which time you may wonder what in heck could possibly take so long.

Meanwhile, I have a related question: is there a verification process somewhere in all this??


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Close Name:Jeff Gamet -   TMO Staff Posts: 102 Joined: 15 Mar 2006
Mon May 22, 2006 3:13 pm Subject:

Quote
You learn something new every day. Can you make that the default empty trash option? Or at least add it to the contextual menu?


I haven't found a utility yet that adds a Secure Empty Trash contextual menu item, but you can create your own keyboard short cut. This Quick Tip shows how to make custom keyboard shortcuts http://www.macobserver.com/tip/2006/03/08.1.shtml. If there is any interest, I'll be happy to write a Quick Tip that walks you through the process of making your own Secure Empty Trash keyboard shortcut.

Jeff


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Close Name:Guest
Wed May 24, 2006 1:56 pm Subject: Thanks for the Hint

I'm a long time Mac user since 128K Mac. I didn't know this. I figured there was a way, if I went digging for it, but I must admit I never noticed the Secure Empty option. I quess because I usually right click the basket icon. Keep the tips, even the simple ones, coming.


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Close Name:les aptt Posts: 221 Joined: 19 Nov 2003
Thu May 25, 2006 3:44 am Subject:

Yes indeed, please keep the simple tips like this one coming.


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Close Name:Guest
Tue May 30, 2006 1:38 am Subject: ?

if you've emptied the trash, but havent sucurely emptied it how do you retrieve the files? please help ive lost some important work!


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Close Name:LaurieF -   TMO Forum Mod Posts: 3547 Joined: 15 Jun 2001
Tue May 30, 2006 1:49 am Subject:

The chances of your getting them back if you don't have backups are not good, because of the way Unix stores its files and file structure. I'm sorry, that's how it is.

I'm sure others will correct me if I'm wrong, but the outlook is dismal.


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Close Name:Guest
Sun Jun 04, 2006 8:46 pm Subject: what if it wont let me empty trash

i cant empty the trash from any of the accounts on the cmp. it says i dont have the authorization


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Close Name:alexmay Posts: 1 Joined: 03 Aug 2006
Thu Aug 03, 2006 2:36 pm Subject: Secure empty trash, email delete

I use Entourage on all three of my Macs. Is there a way to have Secure Empty Trash do its work with the deleted emails in Entourage? Is there an email client that provides secure deletions?

Thanks


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