WipeDisk/iX

WipeDisk/iX is an MPE/iX program to sanitize (aka erase or "wipe") a disk drive. (Versions for MPE/V and HP-UX are also available.)

PLEASE NOTE: Allegro Consultants, Inc. is NOT responsible for any data loss you might incur as a result of running this program. This program is DESIGNED to erase all of the data on hard disk drives!

One might ask, "Why not just use MPE's VOLUTIL>FORMATVOL command to erase a disk?" The Short Answer is that VOLUTIL>FORMATVOL does NOT guarantee that the disk will be erased.

Long Answer: VOLUTIL>FORMATVOL sends a message to the Disk DM to do an 'initialize media' action. The SCSI disk DMs then turn around and issue a SCSI FORMAT UNIT command to the Disk. From the SCSI-2 Standard (www.t10.org):

: The FORMAT UNIT command (see table 109) formats the medium into initiator addressable logical blocks per the initiator defined options. In addition, the medium may be certified and control structures may be created for the management of the medium and defects. There is no guarantee that the medium has or has not been altered.

In particular, note that last line! It means that you cannot count on VOLUTIL>FORMATVOL to 'erase' a disk!. It might, or might not, depending upon the disk vendor's implementation of the device firmware.

The only way to guarantee a disk has been wiped is to use a product such as WipeDisk/iX.

The default WipeDisk/iX wiping method meets DoD 5220.22-M standards for clearing (wiping) disks ( http://www.dss.mil/isec/chapter8.htm), and a locally cached copy is here).

WipeDisk/iX has four modes of wiping:

NISPOMC One pass over the disk (write)
(meets NISPOM section 8-306, option "c")
(http://www.dss.mil/isec/chapter8.htm)
(local copy here)
NISPOMD Four passes (3 write, 1 read)
(meets NISPOM section 8-306, option "d")
(http://www.dss.mil/isec/chapter8.htm)
(local copy here)
HIPAA Six passes (3 of (write, read))
(meets Department of Health and Human Services requirements)
(http://www.cms.hhs.gov/manuals/117_systems_security/117_systems_security_AtchA.pdf)
(local copy here)
ACSI33 Nine passes (W,r,W,r,W,W,W,W,W)
(meets the Australian Government's Department of Defence's Information Technology Security Manual ACSI 33, section 3.4.39, 2006-09-29)
(http://www.dsd.gov.au/library/infosec/acsi33.html)
(local copy here)

For details on commands, syntax, a few examples, and other help for WipeDisk, you may wish to view the online help document.

For more information or a free demo of the product, contact us at info@allegro.com or (408) 252-2330.

(DoD 5220.22-M National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM) January 1995 Department of Defense - Department of Energy - Nuclear Regulatory Commission - Central Intelligence Agency U.S. Government Printing Office ISBN 0-16-045560-X (see section 8-306, Clearing and Sanitization Matrix, option "c").)