Wipe Your Handheld Clean of All Its Sensitive Data
SecuWipe is data sanitizing solution that completely removes sensitive data from your Windows CE handheld. It erases all previously deleted data, confidential files and folders, contacts, email messages and accounts, browsing history and temporary files from your handheld and its media cards. SecuWipe uses strong data sanitizing methods to erase data, including U.S. Department of Defense - DoD 5220.22-M method, Bruce Schneier's algorithm, and Peter Gutmann's algorithm. Read more about data sanitizing algorithms ...
When you delete a file in a usual way, the file is in fact not deleted at all. When Windows deletes a file, it doesn't delete the data, only removes the file name from the directory tables. However, as long as no new data is written on those locations, the 'deleted' file can still be recovered.
Hard resetting the handheld does not wipe the data
There may come a time where you will need to wipe your handheld clean like when returning the device for warranty replacement or repair, or if you are selling or donating it.
Data sanitizing is the solution when it comes to removing traces of any strictly confidential and highly sensitive information. Any data that could possibly incriminate you or your company must be properly wiped. Hard reset will only remove the references to files from the file system index, will write new system files on the top, but large portions of your confidential data will still be there. Formatting the media card does not wipe the data either - since the files that contained personal details, bank account details, credit card numbers can be recovered too easily.
Data sanitizing is the only way to permanently erase all files, folders, removable media cards, as well as email messages, contacts, appointments and tasks' databases. It is impossible to restore any data that has been properly sanitized.
When you browse the web, all this information is remains easily discoverable on your device, even if you "delete" it. When you edit documents, containing confidential information, MS Word or Excel create one or more temporary copies of your document in the device free memory, and these temporary copies are still there even after you finish working with the document. All this information can be easily recovered easily using data recovery utilities.
Data wiping will secure you against identity theft.