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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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Shredding my SSDs (NVMe) under linux? (feddit.org)

submitted 3 weeks ago by sp3ctre@feddit.org to c/linux@lemmy.ml

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Hey guys,

I want to shred/sanitize my SSDs. If it was a normal harddrive I would stick to ShredOS / nwipe, but since SSD's seem to be a little more complicated, I need your advice.

When reading through some posts in the internet, many people recommend using the software from the manufacturer for sanitizing. Currently I am using the SSD SN850X from Western digital, but I also have a SSD 990 PRO from Samsung. Both manufacturers don't seem to have a specialized linux-compatible software to perform this kind of action.

How would be your approach to shred your SSD (without physically destroying it)?

~sp3ctre

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[–] patatahooligan@lemmy.world 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

So the SSD is hiding extra, inaccessible, cells. How does blkdiscard help? Either the blocks are accessible, or they aren't. How are you getting a the hidden cells with blkdiscard?

The idea is that blkdiscard will tell the SSD's own controller to zero out everything. The controller can actually access all blocks regardless of what it exposes to your OS. But will it do it? Who knows?

I feel that, unless you know the SDD supports secure trim, or you always use -z, dd is safer, since blkdiscard can give you a false sense of security, and TRIM adds no assurances about wiping those hidden cells.

After reading all of this I would just do both... Each method fails in different ways so their sum might be better than either in isolation.

But the actual solution is to always encrypt all of your storage. Then you don't have to worry about this mess.

[–] sxan@midwest.social 1 points 3 weeks ago

The idea is that blkdiscard will tell the SSD's own controller to zero out everything

Just to be clear, blkdiscard alone does not zero out anything; it just marks blocks as empty. --secure tells compatible drives to additionally wipe the blocks; -z actually zeros out the contents in the blocks like dd does. The difference is that - without the secure or z options - the data is still in the cells.

always encrypt all of your storage

Yes! Although, I don't think hindsight is helpful for OP.