Secure File Deletion via Storage Region Overwriting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing portable devices, such as smartphones and tablets, face issues with secure data deletion, as deleted files can be easily recovered using data recovery programs, exposing users' personal and confidential information, due to the lack of effective overwriting of storage regions and metadata.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for secure file deletion that overwrites the physical storage region with a dummy value, creates additional files to occupy storage space, and modifies metadata to make file recovery impossible, using a processor to execute these operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If standard file deletion is used, then storage space is freed, but deleted files can be easily recovered through data recovery programs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by overwriting storage regions with dummy values before officially deleting files. This pre-deletion overwriting ensures that even if recovery programs are used, the original data cannot be recovered because the storage locations have already been corrupted with random data patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of data in storage regions from original file content to dummy values through multiple overwriting passes. This parameter transformation makes the original data irrecoverable while still allowing the system to mark the space as available for new file allocations.
2Reliability
If multiple overwriting operations are performed, then data security is improved, but processing time and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by performing overwriting operations selectively - not all storage regions require the same number of overwriting passes. The system can adjust the number of passes based on security requirements, file sensitivity, and available processing resources, balancing security with performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic action through multiple staged overwriting passes with different dummy value patterns. Instead of one massive overwriting operation, the system performs several smaller passes at intervals, allowing the storage device to manage the workload and reducing peak processing demands while achieving thorough data destruction.
3Reliability
If storage regions are overwritten with dummy values, then data recovery is prevented, but available storage space is temporarily reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the overwriting operation from the deletion process itself, allowing files to be logically deleted and space to be immediately freed for new allocations. The overwriting of specific storage regions occurs asynchronously or in the background, so the primary deletion operation completes quickly while security measures are applied separately to the actual data locations.
Data Source
AI summary
A secure file-deletion function providing apparatus includes a request input unit configured to receive a file deletion request to delete a file stored in an apparatus from a user; a file deletion unit for deleting the file included in the file deletion request, and a secure file-deletion unit for overwriting a region including a region that stores the file with a dummy value in order to make it more difficult and/or impossible to recover the file deleted by the file deletion unit.